Stuck With You
by ProlificP
Summary: Can Sark and Sydney trust each other when they're on the run? SS
1. Chapter One

Summary- Syd and Sark are on the run, can they trust each other?

Disclaimer- The usual, I don't own any characters from Alias, they belong to JJ Abrams but I don't need to! So there! I can still control them and I DO own this plotline!

Spoilers- Season three up to episode 10, this story is Post-Remnants

"I can't believe I'm actually doing this!" Sydney exclaimed. She was sitting in Weiss' car, on the way to a sunny beach at some random place in some unknown location.

"Well it's about time that you got a break. You've been working yourself to death ever since you came back from it"

"This feels like that night, two years ago. Just before I disappeared, Vaughn and I had been talking about going to Santa Barbara, we just never got around to it, so he just booked it one day."  She smiled a bittersweet smile "I guess we never did get around to it" she said softly.

"Hey, hey" Weiss looked over at her, momentarily taking his eyes off the road "None of that. You promised remember? This is going to be the fun getaway that you've been waiting for"

Syd looked down at her hands, they were in her lap "Yeah, it is"

"Come on, now I want you to promise that you're going to do your best to have fun."

She nodded and gave him a brief smile of reassurance "I promise"

"Good. Now where's that knockout smile? Come on, I know it's there. Oh look, you can't hold it, you're smiling, you're smiling!"

Syd couldn't resist and broke into her old wide smile. Weiss smiled too. She turned to look ahead again, "Eric look out!" she screamed. A black van had driven onto the road and had stopped in a diagonal position, blocking the road. The windows were blacked out, Sydney heard the screech of tires behind them as another van pulled to a stop. She grabbed the gun from the waistband of her jeans and cocked it. Beside her Weiss got his own gun from the glove compartment and readied himself for the fight.

Men dressed in black with ski masks and bulletproof vests poured out from the van ahead of her, from the side view mirror Sydney could see that behind her more men were emerging from the other van. Both teams were equipped with semiautomatic rifles that Sydney was willing to bet contained a minimum of 40 rounds. They looked like AKs but she couldn't quite place them.

"They weren't following us, must've been waiting off the shoulder of the road. Ready?"  He nodded. "Move!"

Syd shoved her door open just as the first man reached her side of the car, it hit him hard and he stumbled backward, nose broken. She jumped out and quickly knocked out the next guy with the butt of her gun. The man behind him was smarter and used his unconscious companion as a shield, he propelled the body forward then dropped it and knocked the gun out of Sydney's hands. She didn't bother trying to retrieve her gun. She kicked the body out of her way and threw a punch that was sidestepped. She blocked his return blow and kept a hold of his arm then kicked him twice in the stomach before slamming his head against the side of the van that she and Weiss had rented. She turned to face the others. The fight was on.

On the other side of the van Weiss was quickly losing ground to the encroaching black agents. He managed to squeeze off a few shots before the gun was kicked out of his hand. He sidestepped several blows and kicks and tried to take them out. He managed to knock out one of the men before being overpowered, he never was the fighting type; one reason why he was generally in the office when Vaughn did the fieldwork before. He felt a hard object connect with the side of his head and that was the last he felt for a long time as he fell into the blackness. He called out one name before he completely fell though "Sydney…"  

Syd faintly heard a voice calling her name over the tumult of fighting, "Eric!"  she called. That moment's distraction cost her. The man that she had been successfully holding off for the past minute of so finally got past her defense of a barrage of punches and blocks. His fist darted out and caught her on her jaw. She stumbled slightly and was immediately surrounded, the muzzles of the guns all pointed towards her.

"Get down!" a muffled voice ordered. Syd thought that she detected a hint of a Russian accent. "Do it!" the speaker indicated the floor with the muzzle of his gun. Sydney slowly knelt on the gravel-infringed road. "Hands behind your head"  she complied. Then the butt of one of the rifles met her head and she succumbed to the same blackness that had taken Weiss.

_Later, location unknown_

Sydney Bristow's mind snapped into consciousness. She kept her eyes closed and used her other senses. She was on a chair, her hands tied behind the chair back and feet tied as well, the rough bonds chafed. She seemed to be a place that hadn't been used much, a musty odor dominated the place, she heard a metal door being slid upwards of downwards _A__ warehouse?  She guessed._

She could sense no movement in the room with her and cautiously opened her eyes only to find a pair of piercing blue eyes boring into hers. "Good morning Sydney, how nice to see you again"

A/N- What did you think of the first chapter? I know it's kind of short


	2. Chapter Two

"Sark! What the hell am I doing here? What do you want? Where is Weiss? You'd better not have hurt him" She struggled with her bonds, itching to get at Sark. He still had a slight laceration over his left eyebrow where Sydney had hit him on their last meeting. He had turned a chair around and was now straddling it, his arms rested on the back and his head on his arms. He continued to maintain his gaze on Sydney. He made a brief gesture to the guard behind him and he quickly departed.

"I assure you, Agent Weiss is quite well. We do not have him in our custody. Why Sydney, whatever made you think that I wanted anything?" 

She glared at him, "Oh I don't know, maybe because you always do?" 

Sark smiled, the warmth didn't quite reach his eyes "Quite right"

"What is it that you want this time?"

"Well apparently you have some information that my employers want. Whatever it is, I'm not exactly privy to it" He didn't look happy about it.

"So the traitor of all time is feeling left out because a bunch of goons won't trust him"  Sydney wanted to keep him talking, she tried to cut through the rope by methodically rubbing them against each other to fray it but it was hard going and Syd knew that soon enough her wrists would start to bleed, it would help lubricate the escape.

"I'd just like to inform you of the fact that there are twenty men posted outside this door alone and should you try to escape they are under direct orders to kill you" 

"And what is it that you get out of all of this?"

His gaze intensified "My life" 

"Of course"

There was a slight commotion outside, the door burst open and in walked four men including the guard that had been keeping vigil with Sark earlier. Behind the men came two other people, one woman and a man, both dressed in scrubs. They were wheeling in a gurney. He turned to look at the men then back at Sydney. 

"Looks like it's time to meet your true captors"

"Mr. Sark" the obvious leader said formally. He was about 5'11, and a touch on the portly side. His thinning grey hair was slicked back with greasy oils. A purple vine-like scar ran from his right ear, across his chin and to his neck.

"Mr. Kalashnikov" he returned.

"Is she ready?"

"I believe so" The man gestured behind him and the two medical staff dressed in scrubs came forward. The guards raised their guns and pointed it at Sydney. The pair undid Sydney's bonds but before she could make a move to break for it Sark's gun was pointing her in the face. _A CZ100 9mm, same as before. Must be a favorite_ she thought wryly.

"I wouldn't advise any rash action on your part Ms. Bristow"  

"Oh so now we're back to Ms. Bristow again?" he smiled humorlessly and gestured towards the gurney. Sydney knew that if she tried to escape, she would die. She bit her lip and reluctantly lay down on the gurney. She couldn't just give up like that, not after all that she had put her loved ones through. She would live, if only for them. They strapped her arms and legs as she stared up at the whitewashed ceiling.

Then she felt the gurney begin to move, she watched blankly, chronicling everything she saw as she was wheeled through the corridors. She suddenly saw the door that she was headed for, two green numerals stood out in the stark whiteness that covered the facility. 47. Sydney began to struggle; she strained against the clamps that were holding her to the gurney. She didn't want to see what was behind those doors. Nevertheless, she continued to relentlessly approach the door. She closed her eyes and hoped that somewhere out there there was a merciful God that would pardon all her sins and save her from this punishment.

She vaguely heard Kalashnikov say "Now Ms. Bristow, we are going to find out what exactly you know" She cried out when the first electrical jolt shot through her and firmly decided to clam up. She prepared herself for more.


	3. Chapter Three

A/N- I got some info from reading _Recruited , an Alias prequel book. They're really good_

Sydney was roughly thrown to the floor. She somehow managed to get on her knees and sat that way, convulsively twitching. The electric torture had temporarily short-circuited her own body's system; the residual electric energy was screwing with the electromagnetic impulses that flowed from her brain through her nerves and vice versa.

From her huddled position on the ground Sydney could see one expensive black leather shoe somewhere ahead of her. Another one soon joined it. They swam strangely in her vision and she felt like she was on a boat in stormy weather, the room lurched erratically making her want to throw up.

He had been sitting with one leg casually crossed across his other thigh and an arm slung across the back of his seat. At the sight of Sydney he placed both feet on the floor and leaned forward slightly, his hands in his lap.  

"Hello Sydney" a familiar voice said softly. _It's normally quiet, that voice. Controlled, calm. I know it, I'm sure I do. Not that controlled anymore, is it? Oh no, not at all. _ She burst into hysterical laughter. She continued laughing until tears poured down her cheeks, then she stopped abruptly and attempted to lift her head up to face that voice.

"Hello Mr. Sark" he looked slightly disturbed; a small added element to his ever present masked expression. The sight of a disheveled and possibly mad Sydney obviously unnerved him, it was a Sydney that he had never seen before let alone one he thought could ever exist. She seemed… broken. 

He looked back up and spoke "Did you get what you needed?"

Another voice spoke from behind her, it was vaguely familiar but she couldn't quite place it. "Yes, we did. She is surprisingly resilient, this Ms. Bristow. Of course, it was a tricky procedure and several mental avenues were left open. She just might remember, too many strings are left untied" the voice sharpened "She is to be eliminated"

"But Mr. Kalashnikov!" Sark stood up, protesting, he was interrupted.

"There are no buts Mr. Sark. You will do as you are told, she is no longer of any use to us. Your orders are to terminate"

"With all due respect sir, Sydney Bristow is a valuable asset and cannot be dismissed so lightly" 

From the floor Sydney croaked "Sydney Bristow" she sounded like she was tasting the words "So that's my name" She was rewarded with a cool glance from Sark, but something glimmered behind that mask.

"She has been out of the loop for two years. The world has changed and grown since she can last remember, an agent out of the field for a month takes weeks to catch up. Any information or contacts that she might have had are long past outdated."

"I thoroughly agree with you, but information and contacts are not Agent Bristow's only value. She is on record as the fastest rising agent in CIA history; it took her a mere six months to be pulled from a desk job to training for agent status"

"Your point?"

"The usual time taken before that ever happened was two to three years, there were two exceptions other than Bristow. A Brianne Johnson and Noah Hicks graduated to training after approximately one and a half years of desk jobs. You must agree that her capabilities are exceptional"

"Regardless of how bright Bristow is Mr. Sark, she is nevertheless of no more use to us and is a dangerous hindrance that we wish taken care of immediately. We understand that this is no simple matter, you underestimate our intelligence"

"Not at all Mr. Kalashnikov, just think, she's worked for you before. I believe that her performance was flawless; it would benefit the Covenant greatly if she could be recruited once more. Or at least be used as a valuable bargaining tool. As long as we have her, we have leverage."

"I hardly think that the CIA will give up everything that they have just to save an agent that they have functioned well enough without for two years"

"No, I hardly thought so myself, but we do have leverage with several affiliates of hers that could be of some use of us"

"Namely?" Sark did not like having to explain himself.

"Through Ms. Bristow we get to Mr. Jack Bristow, a resourceful man in a high enough place to be of use to us. He would stop at nothing to regain and ensure his daughter's safety and has no compunctions to breaking the rules; a fact proven time and time again. There is also the head of department Marcus Dixon, he is a tad more cautious; a resilient man Mr. Dixon. He is a close friend of Bristow's; they were partners in SD-6. I am certain that we would be able to acquire something from him for Sydney's safe return. There is also a techie by the name of Marshall Flinkman, charismatic he is not but brilliant? Definitely. His assistance could be used in any mission that you might want to have carried out. There is another that cannot be of much use, Michael Vaughn, though with the right pressure he could be manipulated. Through him we have an NSC agent, a Ms. Reed that admittedly does not hold much power but sometimes big things take someone small"

Kalashnikov opened his mouth to speak but Sark interrupted "Did I mention that Mrs. Reed's father is Senator Reed?" Kalashnikov closed his mouth.

"Alright, she is fairly valuable" he conceded "But as it was your idea to maintain hold of Bristow I am placing all responsibility of her care on you. You may do what you will of her, but remember if she becomes tiresome you are free to" he made a slitting motion across his throat. Sark nodded.

"We can recruit her again"

"Impossible, conditioning of any sort would kill her and since you are so intent on keeping her alive it would defeat all purposes if she landed up dead on an operating table"

"You did it once before"

"The circumstances were different, she had not had several people poking around in there and screwing with her mind"

Sark pursed his lips "Very well"

"She is quite beautiful, no?" Kalashnikov remarked, he moved next to Sydney and lifted her chin up to look at her face then dropped it. "I'm sure you two will enjoy each other's company, you are both young and fit" he winked at Sark suggestively and Sark's demeanor became stiffer. There was no question as to what the Covenant's third most important man meant.

"Yes sir"

"Well, I'll be seeing you. My chopper is waiting for me, until next time then Mr. Sark" Kalashnikov quickly grasped his arm and then left. Sark looked after him with contempt.


	4. Chapter Four

Sydney sat with her back leaning against the wall and her knees drawn up to her chin on her bunk in the poorly lighted cell. She faced the wall opposite her. There was a dirt encrusted, chipped sink on her left wall and further along was an equally filthy commode that Sydney had no intention of using anytime soon. She rested her head against the wall and let the tears flow freely.

"I'm terribly sorry about the poor accommodations"

Sydney snorted, the sincerity in his voice only made her hate him more "Who the hell was that?"

"_That_ was Mikhail Kalashnikov, the right hand man of the right hand man of the leader of the Covenant. In other words, he is the third most important man in the organization. Now I'm just wondering, what was so important that he needed to extract it from you personally?"

"I don't know" she squeezed her eyes closed, pushing out more tears "I don't know" she repeated softly. Normally she'd be loathe to show any weakness in front of Sark but she didn't consider it a weakness anymore, merely a necessity. A vent. 

"Here" she turned her head to look in Sark's direction; he was offering her a tissue box through the bars. She gratefully accepted it.

"Why did you save me?" the question was abrupt and caught him off guard.

"Because you are indeed a valuable asset Ms. Bristow"

She looked at him speculatively, weighing his words and assessing him with her eyes "No" her voice was calm "That's not it"

"How would you know this?"

 "If you really thought that I was a valuable, exploitable _asset_ you would not have handed that information about me to Lauren Reed"

"True enough" he conceded. "I would like to work with you again Ms. Bristow, your various talents are admirable. We've made a good team before, why not now?"

"Because unlike you Sark I derive no pleasure from mercilessly executing hundreds of innocent human beings for blood sport."

"We could make a great team" he tried again

"Go to hell. You killed Francie and now you're asking me to work with you? What kind of a depraved childhood did you have?"

"Not a very pleasant one" he said softly then spoke in a louder voice "Technically Allie was the one that killed Francie Calfo. You'll pardon me if I sidestep responsibility for that but it was not by idea to make use of the double Helix research in that way, it was Sloane's brainchild. I would hardly be the first to ask the woman that I cared about to change into someone else" Sark realized his slip.

"Cared about?" she asked mockingly "Now much as I'm sure that that translates into you were sleeping with her or she held the key to your bank vault. I'm just curious, you didn't mention any of this in the transcript"

"I wasn't aware that my personal life was on any interest to the Central Intelligence Agency" he said dryly.

Sydney's gaze hardened "I don't care who was there in physical form to pull that trigger Sark, you had just as much a part in it as Allison or Sloane and I can never forgive you for that"

"I don't recall asking you to, now Sydney I know all about the tortured childhood you must have had but I would appreciate it if you would get over yourself. You aren't the only one who has lost somebody"

He took something from his pocket. It appeared to be a mini-walkie talkie. He threw it through the bars and it landed on the bunk beside her, she picked it up and looked at him questioningly.

"That is in case you change your mind, I have the twin to it" he held his one up "I will be listening, oh and I wouldn't try contacting anyone else Ms. Bristow, that is a one frequency walkie talkie. I have also taken the liberty of disabling any other features that it might have had, you cannot rewire it to another frequency. Good day" he turned to leave but stopped for a moment, he didn't turn around to face her. "They weren't all innocent Ms. Bristow" then he strode out. She watched his retreating back.

_Later in the day_

"Hello? Hello! Is anyone there? Guard!" Sydney put a couple of fingers through the bar and pressed the side of her face against them trying to see down the corridor.

A sullen guard appeared shortly "Yes?" he asked in a thick Polish accent. He was careful to keep away from the bars Sydney noted.

She gave him her most charming smile, "I'm hungry, is there any chance that I would be able to get something to eat?"

The guard grunted and eyed her suspiciously, trying to sense out any ulterior motive. "I'm sure that Mr. Sark would not like his guest to be mistreated"

He smiled suddenly, "You have spunk, for that you get something to eat" he walked back down the way he had come, chuckling "Guest" she heard him say and chuckle. The moment he turned the corner she rushed to the walkie talkie that she had spent the last half hour working on. She had pried the back off with her fingernails, exposing the wires inside. Several had been cut by Sark to stop her from rewiring it. She carefully extracted a long wire from the circuit then used her fingernails to make a cut in the plastic covering. She used the cut to peel it off, leaving the copper wire underneath exposed. She took it and concealed it in the palm of her hand. She quickly shoved the remains of the walkie talkie under the lumpy pillow and sat on the bunk, waiting.

Before long the man returned with a tray of food. He gestured with his gun that Sydney move to the back of the cell. She complied; he set the tray down on the floor and fumbled with the keys. He found the right one and bent down to insert it in the lock. Sydney knew that once he came in overpowering him would probably result in her getting shot. She didn't lose a moment; she moved rapidly to the bars and put her hands through them. She turned the man around and held the wire around his throat, choking him until he fell unconscious. 

She remembered seeing a payphone on her way there and also noting that there were a few strategically placed security cameras. She figured that the place that she was being stored in was for temporary usage and therefore not as well equipped as other facilities. She reached down and got the keys that he had dropped; she fished out the right one and hurriedly opened her jail cell. She didn't know how long it would be until she was discovered. Sure enough, 40 meters down the hallway was a black phone.

She covered the distance in no time and popped the cover on the box, she meddled with the wires and a spark went off, burning her hand. She sucked on the offended finger and closed the cover then picked up the phone, she heard the dial tone and punched in a sequence of numbers. Her father's cell phone number.

"Hello?" she heard the voice on the other end.

"Dad!" she gasped "Dad it's me"

"Sydney where are you? Are you alright? What hap…"

"Listen," she interrupted him "I am being held in some sort of facility, it is the one that I saw in my memory walking. Dad, Sark is here and working for the Covenant. They extracted something from me, a memory or something. I need to get out of here"

"Do you have any ideas as to where you are?"

Sydney tried to remember everything "Uh, I heard birds outside. Tree swallow, thrushes, hummingbirds and warblers. I think we're somewhere in the west, semi-desert landscape" Just then she heard the pounding of feet on floor as men rushed down the corridors, she rushed on "Search on the satellite feed for any suspicious vehicles and any sign of a Mikhail Klashnikov, he was here. There…" Sark turned the corner, running to intercept Sydney, she didn't spare him a glance and instead continued to talk using every spare second. Behind him came a contingent of twelve armed guards.

He tackled her and they landed on the floor, from his position on the ground Sark could hear a voice coming from the receiver "Sydney, Sydney! Are you there?" He did not have time to wonder about the voice as Sydney punched him viciously throwing him off her. She jumped up, ready to fight and found twelve Uzis pointing her way. Sark stood up, wiping the blood from the side of his mouth. 

He picked up the receiver "She'll call you back" he hung up and turned to face her "That wasn't a very wise move Sydney"

She remained stony but relaxed her fighting stance. Sark gestured to the guards behind him and three came forward to escort her to her cell. They locked her in and checked the pulse of the unconscious guard then wordlessly dragged him back the way they had come. Sydney tried to see down the hallway, Sark threw her cell one last look before sweeping down the corridor. 


	5. Chapter Five

_CIA Headquarters_

"Vaughn! I'd like to speak with you privately please"

Vaughn looked up from his desk "Sure Jack, what is it?" he followed him to a concealed area

"Listen to me very carefully, that person on the other end of the line was Sydney. My suspicions have been confirmed, she is indeed being held captive somewhere but the location is unknown to her. I want you to look up the native habitat of tree swallows, warblers, hummingbirds and thrushes, all of them together. Then check the satellite feed and identify any suspicious sightings, we are looking for a man by the name of Mikhail Kalashnikov, he is deeply involved with the Covenant. I am going to check with my own contacts, we will meet behind Katonic Katy's in two hours. Clear? I want Sydney extracted by 11:30 PM today"

Vaughn nodded. "Good" Jack left.

_10 PM-__Utah_

"Are you sure this is where Sydney is being held?" Jack had to shout over the noise of the chopper.

"This is the only place that she could be" Vaughn shouted in return "All of the others were public"

Jack nodded. He looked down at the building on the ground; the roof was flat and could be landed on. The building was completely whitewashed and seemed ghostly in the pale light of the waning moon. They soon landed, "Move out" he ordered the hurriedly assembled team. "Cover every inch of this place, I want you to methodically search it. Assume that every person is hostile except my daughter."

The team left the now silent chopper and descended down the stairs, they were met with no resistance. Every member fanned out, searching the building. Five minutes later every agent was scattered across the building. They reported. "This is Alpha six to Alpha leader"

"Copy Alpha six" Jack responded 

"There's no one here sir, my area's clear"

"Ten-four. Alpha four?"

"Same thing here sir"

"Three?"

"Ditto Alpha leader" Jack checked with everyone, the place was clear not a trace of either Sydney or Sark remained. "Damn it!" He took of his comm. link and flung it on the floor.

Sark had gotten away, again, this time with his daughter.

On a private jet somewhere in the air Sydney Bristow sat quietly, her hands and feet cuffed; both pairs of cuffs were attached by a chain link so she had to shuffle to get anywhere. She was alone in the cabin sitting in a cushy peach colored seat much like the CIA's own but more comfortable. She saw Sark return from the cockpit where he had been to see the pilot.

"Where are you taking me?" Sydney asked, the fire had re-ignited in her eyes and burned in her throat. She wanted to get out of there.

Sark chuckled "I see that you are fully recovered"

"Don't play with me Sark, I want to know where I am going"

He sat on the seat across from her, a foldout table separated them. He regarded her contemplatively "We are moving" he said slowly "to a more secure location and that is all that you need to know. Now if you will excuse me, I would like to catch a few winks before we land" He pulled out a cushion and blanket from underneath his seat, made himself comfortable and then promptly dozed off.

Sydney soothed herself with fantasies of Sark dying a horribly painful death. She toyed with various scenarios, musing _If__ only…_


	6. Chapter Six

_New safehouse_

Sydney sat at a table in a stark room that reminded her of police interrogation rooms. She didn't know what country she was in but had her suspicions, from the amount of time that it had taken to reach she assumed that they were no longer in the US, probably in Europe. Sark placed a photo of a German man escorted by armed guards on the table in front of her. 

He was impeccably dressed as always, still in a suit. On him the suit was classy and impressive, something she knew most men could not pull off, especially at his age. She felt slightly annoyed that even after a nap it was wrinkle free.

"Who's this?"

"That is Franz Bauman, head of interrogation for the Covenant"

"You mean torture"

"Yes, he was also in charge of yours."

"What do you mean?" she sat forward in her chair.

"When you were… 'converted', he was in charge of your case. I'm willing to bet that whatever happened to you, he was responsible for it. Unless you willingly submitted and knew all about Sydney Bristow the whole time" he looked at her questioningly.

"No! I would never just kill people!"

"I'm merely speculating Ms. Bristow, no need to have a fit"

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked, regarding the photo.

"Because I want him out of the picture" her head snapped up and their eyes met.

"You work for them"

"I am well aware of who I work for Ms. Bristow"

"If the Covenant finds out, they'll have you killed. Why?" she narrowed her eyes "Unless of course you plan on getting rid all of them"

Sark clapped his hands three times "Brilliant deduction, perhaps I overestimated you. I have no intention of being under the thumb of an amateur organization when my skills could be of more use elsewhere"

"Why him first?"

His gaze hardened "Let's just say I have a slight personal stake in this" Sydney nodded.

"The men?"

"They are loyal to me only, they will do as they are told, I'm offering you a chance to take down the man that is responsible for your missing two years"

"So you want to kill him"

"I never said kill Ms. Bristow, at the very least I want him put away. The NSC can do far worse to him than I"

"Why me?"

"So many whys, because Ms. Bristow you are the best. You've escaped my grasp several times, proof enough. It would greatly help the operation if you were there"

"Nice to know you're still the same conceited bastard that you always were."

"If that is your final answer" He walked towards the door.

Sydney hesitated, "Fine" he turned "I'll do it"

He regarded her "I thought you'd see reason" then he walked out. Sydney was once more left with only fantasies of strangling the man.


	7. Chapter Seven

_Morocco_

A sleek black Jaguar pulled up in front of the night club. Sark, wearing his customary suit this time a beige one with a cream colored shirt, stepped out from the driver's side. Sydney stepped out from the passenger side. She wore a skintight red dress with a scooping v-neck. She also sported a red scarf and small red handbag, with a gun inside of course.

As they walked to the door Sydney asked Sark "Who are we meeting exactly?"

"Randall Thornton, a contact of mine. Hopefully he will be able to provide information about where to find Bauman"

"You mean you don't know?"

"No Sydney, I'm merely visiting him to chat about old times"

"Sarcasm doesn't become you"

"As it doesn't you"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Hush, we're there." The bouncer let them bypass the long line and walk right in, Sark ignored the several dirty looks that they got.

Inside the club was crammed, loud music blared from the speakers placed around the room. The dance floor was illuminated by a mass of strobe lights and the club was ruled by a predominant color, red. The upholstery and the majority of garish decorations were bright red, it gave the club a rather hellish feel. On the stage to her left a DJ was spieling out a mix. A particularly drunk female stumbled up to them as they surveyed the club, liquor glass in hand. 

She caressed the side of Sark's face "Well aren't you a cute one" she leaned in closer, pressing her body against him Sark was clearly uncomfortable "Classy too, want to have it out in the back then love?" she tossed her head towards the back room suggestively.

Sark pried her hands off him "Not today" he spotted Thornton and headed towards him, leaving the pouting woman behind. Sydney followed trying to hide her amusement.

Sark shook hands with the smoking American and gave a perfunctory greeting before sitting down. Sydney joined them silently gracing him with no more than a brief smile. She had been told to keep silent and had decided that in unknown territory it would be best to follow Sark's orders.

"Good evenin' Sark" the man had a faint Western twang to his voice.

"Good evening Mr. Thornton"

"So what is it that you want?"

"Information"

"Ahh, I see. Scotch?"

Sark put a hand over his glass "No thank you" when offered Sydney repeated the gesture.

"So what information do you want Mr. Sark?"

"Information as to the whereabouts of a certain tape of Franz Bauman" Thornton spat his drink out.

"What?" he drew a napkin across his mouth, he became overtly nervous "Now you know I can't do that. If they find out they'll kill me"

"It's a risk I'm hoping that you're willing to take"

"Well, Mr. Sark" he leaned back in his seat "You've certainly thrown me"

Sark's stiff position never changed, he continued to maintain his gaze on Thornton. Sydney's gaze however wandered around the pub, systematically classifying its members and on the look out for any suspicious characters. She spotted a back door and a surge of hope flowed through her, it was extinguished when she realized that Sark's men were probably behind that door as well. 

"I'm sorry, no can do Mr. Sark but I can't help you" Her attention snapped back to the conversation _No, I am so close, so close!_

"You can't just do that!" she slapped her hand down on the table.

"And you are?" Sark threw her a warning glance but she ignored it.

"_I _am none of your business"

"Then your business is none of mine"

"Wrong" she leaned in closer "It is your business if we make it your business and we're making it your business. So I'll ask you once again, where is that tape?"

Thornton opened his mouth to refuse again but he saw something in her eyes, behind the steely promise was desperation. His face softened "It is with a man named Heinrich Bauman, Franz Bauman's cousin. He has been blackmailing Franz for several months now; it is kept in a safe at his mansion in Berlin"

"I must commend him" Sark stood up "Good day Mr. Thornton, I'll have the usual amount plus a generous bonus wired to your account" Thornton nodded. 

Sydney stood up as they were leaving Thornton called after them "She's a good one Sark, even better than the last. Beauty with brains, I'd watch out for her"

"What's that supposed to mean?" she hissed at him.

"Nothing"

"Is every man that we meet going to think that I'm sleeping with you?" she seethed. It was a good thing that Sark was slightly behind her or she would have punched him for the smirk on his face.

They walked out of the club; there was still a long line outside. "Good job, that was well done. As expected"

"Expected?" Sydney stopped "You knew that I would talk?"

"Of course, you might not have noticed Ms. Bristow but you have an unusual tendency to disobey orders"

"You used me"

"You allowed yourself to be used"

"Why did you need me to speak, I'm sure your usual effective method of pointing a gun to his head would have worked"

They got in the car "Quite the contrary, he is under the protection of the owner of that club. If I'd tried anything funny, they would not hesitate to shoot me. I knew that Thornton would not budge, so I needed another means of persuasion, a beautiful woman such as yourself did the trick"

"Flattery will get you nowhere Sark"

"I do not presume to think anything of the sort"

"Of course"

"Of course"


	8. Chapter Eight

Sydney loaded the clip into her gun, aimed and fired.

"Nice shot" Sark came up behind her and she jumped, he smirked.

"I was testing it, not bad; the recoil on this thing is at a minimum"

"Thank you, I had it custom made." One of the men that where readying the stockpile of weapons kept in the warehouse called him. He indicated that he would come in a moment; he took the gun from Sydney and fired. The bullet made a whole in the paper target right next to Sydney's leaving two holes in the head, and then he handed the gun back to her.

Sydney sighed, grabbed a chair and sat on it. She closed her eyes._ You could kill him right now_

_And be killed by his men._

_You've faced worse_

_He saved my life!_

_He wanted to use you._

_He's trusting__ me with a firearm_

 _Or testing you, he knows his men will shoot if he is harmed_

_ I am getting a chance to destroy the man that destroyed my life_

_So that __Sark__ can get more power, brilliant_

Sydney sighed again, she wished things were easy; then she wouldn't have to fight herself, she'd know where Sark stood, she wouldn't be in this damned mess.

"Ready?"

She looked up at him "I'm always ready"

"Good" he checked his watch "You have half an hour to look your best, your clothes are waiting in the back room, there is also a shower should you wish to have one" he indicated the door behind the men, smirking.

"Half an hour?" Sydney squeaked, she strode towards the room. The men watched her until the door closed.

"She's a pretty one boss" one of them called.

"So I've heard Andrew, so I've heard" then he left to change himself.

A long black stretch limo pulled up in front of the glittering mansion.  A lengthy flight of steps led up to the entrance, several guests were already walking up them. Sark stepped out, dressed in a black suit with a cream shirt. He turned and held out his hand to help Sydney out, she was wearing a stunning full length cream silk bustier with a hitch on her right side that left an inch wide slit open from her thigh downwards. Her dress complimented his suit perfectly and she had to admit, not only was the dress beautiful it was a comfortable fit. She wondered how Sark knew her size and reviewed the mission in her mind.

-FLASH-

"Heinrich Bauman is a regular society's businessman; he occasionally throws parties for the higher social echelon. He is currently in the aeronautics business. We will pose as business associates interested in investing in his company. He thinks that we are of the _Marseilles Enterprise Aéronautique" Sydney grinned. "What?"_

She shook her head "Oh, it's nothing. You just have an atrocious French accent"

Sark looked offended "Well, let's hope that it will do for the evening because it is too late to manufacture a new identity"

-END FLASH-

Sydney hoped so too. They entered the ballroom, it had a warm atmosphere. The paneling around the hall was wood but the place exuded money, Sydney noticed that the tables held real china and silver. Each piece of silver cutlery had one small diamond on the handle, about a half a carat. In the center of each round table there was also a diamond shaped inset of real amber, a truly hard and valuable substance to acquire. Sydney had no doubt that the money that had paid for this festive occasion had blood on it.  They spotted Heinrich Bauman at the head table with his wife Sofia and approached him; both plastered on smiles.

"Mr. Bauman!" Sark affected a French accent "How nice to see you" Bauman stood up and shook hands with him.

"Pleasure to see you too sir, and you are?"

"Philippe Delacoeur from Marseilles Enterprise Aéronautique"

"Ahh yes, I have heard of you. It truly is a pleasure to have you here today Monsieur Delacoeur, this is my wife Sofia" Sofia smiled at them 

"I must be going dear, my friends have arrived"

"You carry on Liebe" he turned back to Sark and Sydney

"And who might this be?" he leered down Sydney. Sark acted quickly

"Why this is my wife Aurélie Delacoeur, _cherie this is the man that I was telling you about" there was a warning tone in his voice. He put his arm around Sydney's waist and drew her close, placing an affectionate kiss on her forehead. _

Sydney gave her most charming smile, cuddling up to Sark and held out her hand "A pleasure to finally see the man that society boasts so much of" he kissed her hand and shrugged modestly

"I am but a humble man Mrs. Delacoeur, would you care to have a seat?" he held the chair for her and she flashed him a grateful smile.

He sat down. "Coeur, does that not mean heart in your language?"

"Indeed" Sydney spoke before Sark could "Appropriately named, non? He made my heart race from the day I met him"

Apparently satisfied that she would not blow their cover Sark relaxed back in his chair. "We struck sparks the moment we met, and we're still going strong. In fact, we'll be spending the next week in Paris" he said.

"Well Mr. Delacoeur what brings you to my humble abode?"

"Please, call me Philippe. I am here Mr. Bauman because I have a business proposition. I heard that you have some plans for new thrusters, a particularly effective system that could help our rockets greatly"

"Yes, I have. Interesting, how exactly do you know? My plans are only due in the market next week, I was keeping it quiet"

"I have my ways Mr. Bauman"

"Call me Heinrich" he sat back and thought then let out a low chuckle. "Well Philippe, how much are you willing to pay?"

"I am willing to pay how much it is worth, if I can have a working prototype ready in two months then I am willing to pay 5 million US dollars. Of course I would want to see the plans first, you understand that I cannot just blindly follow your word that it will work"

"And if it does work?"

"Then I am willing to pay a total of 25 million US dollars for your thrusters"

Bauman nodded "That is far more than what I expected"

"I am a generous man Mr. Bauman and I believe that a man's hard work must be rewarded, within reason of course. The plans please?"

"Well Philippe, it seems that you have cornered me, if I refuse your kind offer and put it on the market for the highest bidder you will go to another company and ask them to work on my ideas no?" Sark made no comment "You are a smart man Philippe" Bauman shook his finger at him "Very well then, wait here I will return with the plans"

Bauman left the table. Sark put a hand to his earpiece to activate it, he made it look like he was reaching to scratch his ear "He's heading in"

"Copy, hacking in"

-FLASH-

"What we need to do is get the combination for that safe. It is not your regular three tumbler safe, it is an eight combination sequence and would take too long to crack ourselves. He has a fairly sophisticated system it is designed to detect any intruders invading it so we have a five minute timeframe to hack into the security systems and watch Bauman entering the combination."

"And the way to his study is wide open?" Sydney was skeptical.

"Hardly, we need a nine digit combination to get into his study in the first place. We cannot afford to scramble their feed, instead the power will be shut down for 12 blocks, effectively a black out. It will take 4 minutes and 28 seconds for the generator to kick in, you have that much time to crack his safe"

"No pressure"

"There are also security cameras placed everywhere so we are to maintain our cover at all times, no dropping the mask."

"Smile for the cameras" Sydney muttered.

"Precisely" 

-END FLASH- 

"Honey" Sark forced the word out, it was foreign to his lips "I suggest that we act like the couple that we are supposed to be instead of mere acquaintances"

Sydney bared her teeth in what she hoped passed for a dazzling smile and leaned in towards Sark, putting her hand on his knee. "This was not part of the plan"

He took her hand in his and held it above the table cloth for the benefit of whoever was watching "If you would rather spend your evening in bed with that man, be my guest"

Sydney gave him good ol' doe eyes, her role as the doting wife was beginning to make her sick "What's that supposed to mean?"

"As an unclaimed woman in his house, you are up for grabs as it were. As mine, you are safe from prying hands such as his" Anyone would think that they were whispering endearments to one another.

"He couldn't just take me"

"This hall is sprinkled with guards, what makes you think he can't?"

Sark sensed a man approaching behind them and quickly grabbed his new 'wife' in a kiss, with tongue. It deepened and went on for quite a while. When they pulled apart Sydney did not have to affect a dazed look, that kiss had taken a lot from her. The remembered warmth on her lips was maddening, she wanted more. When she realized the direction that her thoughts were headed in she shook herself out of her reverie and realized that she had missed out a little bit.

Sark was calmly pouring over plans for thrusters and making intelligent comments that made him sound like he actually knew what he was talking about. Bauman, who had approached provoking Sark into kissing her, had obviously noticed her daze and was just as obviously amused by the swept-off-her-feet wife. Sydney stealthily glanced at Sark; the man was as cool as ever. _That bastard! He wasn't fazed at all, he has no idea what he just did to me. Fine, if that's the way he wants to play it. The game is afoot_

"Sweetie" she cooed and leaned in, flashing cleavage that was temptingly close to him, brushing him on the shoulder in fact she caressed his face "You know I don't understand any of this high-tech baragouin, it's all Greek to me. I think I'll just go over and have a chat with Sofia"

She had the pleasure of watching him swallow uncomfortably, "Sure honey, you do that" _Voice isn't so steady now, is it __Sark__? Sydney had a hard time suppressing her smirk as she left the table.  _


	9. Chapter Nine

"Yes I agree! It is so annoying when men do that!" Sydney was careful to maintain her cover, she could not appear to be too much of an airhead. 'Philippe Delacoeur' had to have had some reason for falling in love with 'Aurélie'. "But my husband" she affected a proud demeanor "He rarely does that, he is truly sweet. Never lazy"

"And cute too" one of the other women said, she smiled at Sydney mischievously "Tell me, how is he in bed?"

Sydney blushed "Well…" there was a chorus from the women encouraging her to speak "We are only recently married you see, but" she looked up shyly "He is very good indeed" the women hooted and whistled. It attracted the attention of many of their husbands that had no doubts at all that they were being discussed, Sark's eyes met with Sydney's across the distance, he nodded faintly. She blew him a kiss and quickly turned away.   

"Sofia dear, is there any place that I could freshen up? I'm also dying to visit the toilet"

"Why of course, leave the hall and go straight down the corridor opposite, it's the fourth door on the right. Would you like me to show you?"

"No thank you, I'm sure I'll be fine, be back soon" Sydney quickly left the hall. As soon as she left the hall she put a hand to her earpiece and activated it "Approaching study"

"Copy that"

The study was the sixth door on the left, she counted as she went and just as she reached the fourth the lights went out. She could hear shrieks coming from down the corridor and quickly pulled out a penlight from her handbag, she flashed it on the security box that she needed to use to get into the study.

"Okay, what's the sequence?"

"6 7 2 9 5 1 7 8 8" The light flashing above the box turned from red to green. She heard a click as the door automatically opened, she pushed it fully opened and then quickly slipped into the room. She flashed her pen around until she saw the desk, she moved behind it and faced the wooden paneling. On the way she knocked over a basket holding canes.

She traced the outlines of the squares until she noticed a depression at the side of one, she pushed and the two panels side by side opened to reveal… "The safe, combination"

"Right" Andrew's voice sounded tinny in her ear "22 left, 38 right, 12 left, 18 left, 9 right, …" Sydney followed the steady voice and with her ear pressed against the side listened for the tumblers clicking into place as she entered the combination. Finally, she finished and the safe opened.

"Bingo" she rifled through the contents and came across several mini-CDs, each with the diameter of about an inch. Sydney swore, she had been hoping to find just one disk so that it would save time. She pulled out another device from her bag, it was a disc player and there was a small screen to watch the contents. Sydney hurriedly grabbed the first CD in the pile and placed it in the player. An image immediately appeared on the screen, it was a couple doing some very… graphical things. Her eyes went wide and she shut it off then reached for the next disc. Three discs later she found the disc that she wanted, Franz Bauman shooting a CIA agent in the head. A surge of anger momentarily overpowered her.

"48 seconds"

"Moving"

"Well, move faster" She had no time to make a copy, she just stuffed the original into a false compartment in her rouge box and shut the safe.

"26 seconds" Sydney picked up all of the canes that she had dropped, cursing her clumsiness.

"3, 2, 1…" Suddenly all the lights went on and the surveillance cameras went back online. Sydney stepped out of the bathroom, brushing off her dress and headed back towards the ball. 

Sark was still talking to Bauman, Sofia was calming down the guests. Sydney took her place next to the other wives "What happened? I was frightened out of my life! I was just standing there in front of the mirror and then suddenly poof" Sydney snapped her fingers "No lights!" 

"Oh you poor dear!" the wife of an Austrian car manufacturer commiserated. Sydney continued to chat with them and the next time her eyes met with his, she was the one to give the imperceptible nod.

***

Sark removed his hand from her waist as they went down the steps, leaving the mansion behind. She regretted the withdrawal of his touch, though she told herself that it was because of the cold night. Sark noticed her shiver and wordlessly handed her his jacket, she gratefully accepted. It smelled of him, a fruity, fresh cologne; she inhaled deeply and it caused her to shiver once more, she tried to hide it from him. It was warm, comfortable and _safe_ in his jacket.

"Was it really necessary to stick your tongue in my mouth?"

"I had to make it look convincing"

"And you couldn't pose as a man that did not like public displays of affection?" Sark shrugged and held the door open for her, they got in. Sark was secretly kicking himself, he had kissed her on an impulse, for a cover up- or so he told himself; but he had miscalculated the effect that Sydney would have on him, it had resulted in a lot more than the loss of his breath, his mind had also flown out the window and he had had a hard time remembering the mission. He could still taste her, and it was eating at him. _Not a problem, I have spent my life cultivating discipline, this is no different_. 

They spent the rest of the ride in silence. Each contemplating and reliving the moment, each thinking that the other was reviewing the plan and its success.  This author's personal opinion- idiots. 


	10. Chapter Ten

_CIA Headquarters_

"Sir, sir" Weiss jogged up to Jack Bristow "Agent Bristow" Jack finally looked at him, his face had become slightly haggard and his eyes were red with fatigue. He had stubble on his chin and cheeks that he hadn't bothered to shave.

"Yes Agent Weiss?"

"Sir this package just arrived, anonymous sender. We've checked it and it's clear for explosives. We even checked for radiation, it's clear.

Jack ripped open the brown package, hoping somehow that it was a message from his daughter or information as to her whereabouts, even a ransom note or a list of demands. _Anything, right now I'll take anything_

Inside was a small clear case containing a mini-CD and a manila folder that contained a full profile of Franz Bauman, a man suspected of involvement with the Covenant. Of course, being the good terrorist that he was he had always covered up his tracks and nothing had ever been proven. 

Afraid of what he might find on the tape, Jack handed it over to Marshall who checked it for viruses and then played it. Jack held his breath until the image came on the screen, it was a man shooting "Emmeline Pryor" Jack whispered.

"Who's that?" Marshall asked.

"That was a CIA Agent that was killed eight months ago, the CIA were unable to prove that Franz Bauman was behind the murder. Now we can, freeze that" Marshall froze at the part when Franz Bauman turned around showing the camera his profile. 

"Bingo" Marshall commented. Jack just continued to stare at the screen. _She must have been a part of this somehow, but how?_

***

"Did you send it?"

"Yes, I did" 

"Any response?"

"I intercepted a message from the CIA to the NSC, Franz Bauman will be arrested by noon tomorrow." Sydney grinned, she flexed her hands and noticed that if she looked closely she could detect faint traces of a bruise along her wrists. Sark was trusting her, he left her untied and not locked away anywhere. _Not like I could escape of I tried to_

"So what's next?" Sydney straightened her chair and looked at Sark, who was typing away at his laptop, questioningly. 

"Next, we blow up a Covenant research facility"

"What do they do?"

Sark smile thinly "The Covenant's operations have recently expanded into a more… narcotic territory. They've been experimenting with various mixtures of drugs that they sell or use for interrogation and other procedures. That is their most important lab"

"I see" Sydney nodded. She was getting used to being casual with Sark, strange as that felt but a part of her trusted him as her ally, she would feel completely comfortable if she wasn't so alert trying to detect a trap or avoiding being killed. There was steel behind the softness.

"I don't suppose there's a chance that you could let me go?" _At least I can say I tried._

"We both know what would happen if I let you go" _Okay, I tried._

"Right, well I'm going to bed. Good night"

"Good night" he didn't even look up from the screen, he didn't trust himself to look her in the face. _I'll be over it in the morning, until then…_

Sydney retired to her temporary room, glad for the soft mattress and pillow plus the down covers. She closed her eyes and was asleep in a heartbeat, her dreams filled with a certain blue-eyed blonde with a killer instinct.

***

_CIA Headquarters_

"Jack, I think you'd better come see this" Dixon said, standing in the doorway of his office.

Jack Bristow left his laptop and headed towards him "Yes Dixon?"

"Come in" Jack walked into the office but remained stiffly standing and ignored the seats. Dixon walked around to his side of the desk and picked up a clipboard with medical results on them. He sighed and handed it to Jack before sitting down.

"What's this?" Jack looked at it.

"Those are the results of the DNA and fingerprint tests that forensics did for the Schroeder murder. Both the blood on the jacket and the fingerprint matches Sydney."

"That's impossible, Sydney is…"

"Regardless" Dixon interrupted "of what we might believe the NSC thinks that Sydney Bristow murdered this man and two other diplomats. I received these results through them, in fact I am not authorized to be showing them to you"

"Then why are you?"

"I believe that she's innocent but the NSC is out for blood; after Lindsey died they've held a slight grudge, most of them threw parties when they heard but no one will admit to it. Sydney managed to escape the NSC once, let's hope she can do it again. Until then Jack, I suggest you pray"

In his lifetime he had rarely visited a church, he visited one when his wife 'Laura' 'died', when Sydney 'died', when his parents died. The church had become a symbol of death for him; he wished that this time it would be his beacon of hope. 

***

"Sir, Mr. Sark!" Andrew ran up to him, panting. "We've…we…" Andrew doubled over trying to catch his breath.

"You've what?"

"Sir we've intercepted a message that you and Ms. Bristow might want to see" Sydney, who had been studying the plans for a building looked up. She exchanged glances with Sark and then followed him out of the room.

They entered the comm. room from where Andrew, they're tech expert, operated. Andrew pushed play on his computer and a static filled message began to play, a man's voice first "Is it done?"

"Yes, the NSC firmly believe that Sydney Bristow killed those useless diplomats" the feminine voice chuckled throatily "Fools"

"Good, I have another order from the boss. We have decided that Mr. Sark has outlived his usefulness, we want him eliminated"

"No problem"

"We will be in touch" There was a click as the receiver was put down and then a bleep.

The men in the room turned to face their boss "It seems" Sark said tapping his upper lip "That we have been compromised"

"You mean we're screwed"

"Very perceptive Ms. Bristow"


	11. Chapter Eleven

"Well, it seems that we need each other's help Ms. Bristow"

"Let me guess, you help exonerate me and I help you destroy the Covenant"

"Precisely"

"How do I know you won't stab me in the back?"

"The same way you always do; my word"

"You'll excuse me if I don't believe that it's as strong as oak"

"And if I exonerate you first?"

"Then I'll help, but I will not participate in the slaughter of innocent people"

"Wouldn't dream of it" Sark hesitated "But I think that we should go ahead with our earlier plan and destroy the Covenant's research facility"

"Fine by me"

"We leave in two hours"

***

The guard didn't even hear her coming; all he saw before he fell unconscious was a fist racing towards his face. Sydney quickly typed in the sequence that she had memorized earlier in the box behind her. The big reinforced steel door that the lone guard had been guarding slowly slid open. She shed the black robe that she had been wearing, underneath was a form fitting white cat suit. She pulled up the hood so that it covered the back of her head (think Charlie's Angels 1- Cameron Diaz breaking in), the entire facility was whitewashed like the one that she had been held in earlier. The place gave her the creeps. She pulled out a white sling bag from the bushes and donned it. She crept into the corridor.

"Andrew, I'm in" she hissed.

"Great, I'd recommend radio silence about now. They might detect the signal"

"Copy, maintaining radio silence now"

Sydney tread softly, careful not to make any sound or sudden movements that the camera would detect. She was also careful not to raise her body temperature in any way as there were heat sensitive cameras as well as normal ones, her catsuit doubled as a cool suit masking her body temperature.

Her objective was simple; get to the control room, plant the bomb, get the hell out of there. The break in had been timed so that Sydney would arrive at about the time that there was a shift change, she would be able to break into the control room without problem and activate the bomb. 

True enough, Sydney met with no one that late in the night, so no one would spot her. The corridor was lined with rooms, she heard someone further ahead and ducked into a doorway. It was the guards, finishing their shift. They didn't notice the white mass pressed against the door and walked ahead blindly. They had come from the lower level, Sydney would have to hurry to get there before the other guards did. She spotted the elevator doors closing, the inside was blue. _Well, that's out of the question then. _

Sydney took the stairs, instead of clattering down them she decided to take a shortcut. She jumped over the railing to softly land on the next flight and then over the railing and landed on the next flight of steps below and so on for two floors. She opened the door as little as she could and slipped out, quietly creeping towards the control room. It was straight ahead, a circular room. The corridor led up to it then went around it, it was like crossroads with the room right in the middle. She heard the sound of laughter in the elevator and ran the rest of the way to the control room. She typed in yet another sequence and entered it. 

She pulled out a small black object with a small screen that had 15:00 on it in glowing red numbers. She placed it under the control panel and activated the bomb. There was the steady rhythm of beats as the guards walked down the corridor. Sydney quickly pulled out a disc and inserted it into the large computer. She hacked into the system, the guards were getting nearer.

-FLASH-

Sydney saw that the men were going over the plans with Sark. She spotted a disc next to Andrew's laptop and quickly grabbed it. She hid it in the palm of her hand and then secretly put it in the bag. She wasn't going to let all of that information go to waste

-END FLASH-

She typed in a command- Copy and delete.

The computer obeyed and copied all the files stored on the system onto the disc. Sydney's head snapped towards the door as the handle rattled. She grabbed the disc and exited from the door opposite the one that the guards were entering through. She crept around the circular room and ran towards the door leading to the steps, she did her best to hide her face from the cameras. When she reached the door she hesitated then pulled the red fire alarm next to it. Satisfied with her decision she raced up the stairs, meanwhile upstairs and downstairs people were stepping out of their doors and looking around in confusion. An automated message began to play

"Please evacuate by the nearest exit. Please evacuate by the nearest exit…" red lights flashed as the voice droned on. Sydney reached the floor that she wanted and burst through the door, running for the exit that was wide open. The people seeing her running, ran after her eager to leave the facility. More people came from downstairs and ran for the exit, once she left the building Sydney kept running. A black van pulled up and the door was opened. Sark's head poked out "Get in" he ordered.

Sydney complied. "That was not part of the plan" he hissed at her.

She shrugged "Well I couldn't just let all of them blow to kingdom come could I?"

"No, you couldn't" Sark said through clenched teeth. Sydney clutched her bag tightly and wondered where she could hide the disc.

Through the windows she saw the lab go up in a ball of flame.


	12. Chapter Twelve

A/N- A pure S/S chapter!!!

***

"Sydney" Sark strode into the room to find Sydney Bristow reading at a table with a study lamp, she looked up when she heard her name.

"Yeah?"

Sark took a deep breath, he half-looked forward to and half-dreaded telling her what he had to "It seems that some complications have arisen and we shall need to spend the next few days in a hotel in Paris under the names Philippe and Aurélie Delacoeur." He watched her face carefully; several emotions chased each other across her beautiful features.

"WHAT?" He almost smirked, she was so predictable.

"Apparently Mr. Heinrich Bauman had discovered that his tape is missing and wants to find out who did it. He is having every person that was at the party that day checked up on and it would not do for us to be found out"

"What difference would it make?"

"He might seem like a small man Ms. Bristow but he is hardly to be underestimated, it took power to blackmail Franz Bauman and he has plenty more where that came from. We would be in big trouble if he became… upset with us"

"I'll bet" Sydney slammed her book closed and leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms "Fine, when do we leave?'

Sark checked his watch "20 minutes"

Sydney's eyes went wide "But I.. I'll…"

"Anything and everything that you might need will be found in Paris, however you might want to change into something warmer. It can be quite cold in the air" he looked pointedly at Sydney's tank top and shorts. 

She blushed, "I'll be ready"

"Good, I'll come and get you twenty minutes from now then" Sark left. She came up with some very creative curses for how he made her feel. _Damn you __Sark_, I hope you choke and die on your 'Chateau Petreuse'._ Living with him was not going to be easy._

***

"Reservations for Delacoeur?" Sark asked the receptionist, they had just arrived at the best hotel in Paris, _Hotel Infini_, or Hotel Infinity.

The receptionist looked up and gasped audibly "Certainly sir" she started typing away at her terminal and batted her lashes at him while she waited for the results.

_Slut_ Sydney thought and then caught herself _Where did that come from?._ She saw Sark giving the receptionist a charming smile in return. _Unbelievable, we're supposed to be 'reliving our honeymoon' and he's flirting with the damned receptionist!_

She moved forward fluidly and lightly rested her hand on her 'husband's', it was the unmistakable gesture of possession. The wattage in the receptionist's smile dropped slightly, Sark raised an eyebrow at her. She just smiled at him_ Of course, it does help that his shirt is unbuttoned at the top, and his smooth chest is showing slightly… I am not going there!_

"Yes, here it is. Honeymoon suite for the newlyweds" This time her smile was slightly accusing as if to say 'how could you lead me on like that?'

"No, no" Sark said with his French accent "Not newlyweds, but it feels like it doesn't it _cherie?" he smiled down at Sydney. _

"Yes, it does dear" she realized that the receptionist was watching them expectantly and stood up on her tiptoes to kiss him chastely on the lips. He hadn't expected it, but his tongue slipped into her mouth. Her own met his and it became a war, tongues battling, neither willing to pull away. 

They parted two minutes later only when the receptionist cleared her throat. She smiled tightly and handed the key over to Sydney "Appréciez votre sejour" (enjoy your stay).

"Merci beaucoup" Sydney took the key and headed towards the elevator, sunnily beaming no matter how hard she tried to turn off her bright mood. She heard the receptionist mutter something under her breath "Montrez-au loin" (show off) Sydney's smile became wider.

***

Sydney entered the large room and stopped to admire it. It gave a whole new meaning to the term space, it was positively _humungous by hotel standards. In reality of course, it wasn't that large but Sydney knew some people who had apartments that would fit in there. As soon as one entered, to their right was a round table already set with china and silver, fake but beautiful flowers sat on a vase placed right in the center of the red table cloth. There were even two candles in brass stands, waiting to be lit. Next to it was a counter that had an in-built stove and oven below it, there were cabinets and a mini-fridge. Sark went to it and looked inside "Wine and others" he commented and checked the labels._

Further on in the room was a large queen size bed, it was a four poster bed with veils that could be pulled down. It faced a large screen TV, there was a full system there Sydney noticed; VCD player, DVD player, music system with surround sound speakers placed at various points in the room, VCR. A long red couch stood against the wall, next to the bed. There were also two bright red beanbags and a loveseat. French windows (ironic) were at the far side of the room, opening up onto a gorgeous stone balcony. Sydney rushed outside, she felt like a star struck kid, there was a Jacuzzi outside and a soft red divan to relax on. The balcony provided a breathtaking view of Paris, dusk was just setting in and the lights on the Eiffel Tower were coming on. Sydney paused to admire it before going back in.

On the same wall as the TV was a white door leading to the bathroom, Sydney opened it and walked inside. It was amazing. There was a large bathtub that seemed to double as a Jacuzzi to relax in, a large sink with space on the counter to keep toiletries, a clean commode and a shower. There was also a cabinet stocked with towels and the like, the entire room was done in white with peach trimmings. The towels, fluffy rug and alternate tiles were all peach. Sydney closed the door and stepped back into the room where Sark was relaxing on the couch. 

"This room must cost a fortune" she said, awed.

He looked at her wryly "It does, but I told that man that I gave my wife the best"

_Double meaning, double meaning!_ The warning flashed in her mind.

"Right" she tossed her jacket to the floor and hopped onto the bed, it gently bounced under her. She rested her head against what felt like the best quality down pillows ever made and closed her eyes "I could get used to this" she heard no comment from Sark and opened her eyes to look at him.

"Must I remind you of why we're here?" he asked coldly.

She sighed bitterly "No thank you. I already know" she got off the bed and sunk down on the floor resting her back against the bed, she put her head in her hands. "There's never any end to this madness is there?" she asked softly.

"Here" she looked up and found a bottle of vodka hovering in front of her face. She grabbed it and took a swing. As a consequence she almost choked, the toxin was strong burning as it traveled down her throat into her belly. Sark smirked.

Sydney sighed "Here I am again, this is the second time that I'm in the most romantic city in the world with the most sadistic, blood-thirsty man that ever existed"

He grabbed two glasses and sat down beside her, he handed her one of the shot glasses. She filled both of them and they clinked glasses "Cheers"

_A little while and a lot of drinks later_

"You can't be serious! _You_ can sing?" Sydney's face was slightly pink.

"I'm dead serious, I used to take voice lessons in boarding school. I had my own personal coach"

"Well then you must sing for me sometime" Sydney purred. They were still sitting on the floor next to the bed, they had graduated from vodka to tequila. It had long since grown dark outside.

"Sure love, any time" Sydney sighed, it was like a balloon releasing air.

"Pity I missed out on everything"

"Whatever do you mean?"

"You know the whole two year stint, I lost Vaughn" she sighed "and Francie" another sigh "and Will"

"That's bad, I hear your working with the new Mrs. Vaughn"

"Yes, it is and I am"

"I was pretty jealous myself when I found out Allison fancied Tippen"

"Yeah, he has that effect on people, I was pretty jealous when I found out that Francie and Will had started a relationship. I was happy and everything, but still" she looked down and a tear slid down her cheek "Then she died, I fought the woman that looked like my best friend. I lost my memory, I lost Vaughn" she burst into tears.

Sark lifted her chin with his finger "Now, now. None of that. Michael Vaughn was just a little boy who was never good enough for you"

"But I still love him" she protested, the tears still streaming down her face "He's had two years to get over everything, to me I broke up with the love of my life two weeks ago!"

Something in Sark's eyes sharpened, he sobered up for an instant "You really don't remember do you?" he asked softly.

She shook away her tears and looked at him, eyes still wet "What is that supposed to mean?"

He sighed "I wasn't in constant custody Sydney, I got pulled out for some time to work undercover for the CIA"

"What?" she gasped "How? Why didn't my father tell me?"

"He was locked up"

"Everyone else?"

"It was a top secret operation. They sent me to work for the Covenant. I was taken in, I met a woman by the name of Julia Thorne" he looked at her "You, Sydney, except you had no memory of a Sydney Bristow. You firmly believed that you were born to Russian parents in the motherland, normal upbringing in Moscow… We were sent on a mission together to receive some data, I tried probing but you wouldn't answer my questions. That operation was the last I saw of you"

Sydney's eyes were wide and her mouth slightly ajar "You jerk!" she shrieked and hit him on his chest "Why didn't you tell me before? Why?" she continued to attack him, Sark caught both her hands in his.

"Because I wasn't sure how you'd react when I told you that you killed twenty men"

She calmed down "Twenty men, you mean altogether? Was I defending myself? What?"

Sark shook his head "Twenty on that operation, they were guards. It could've been avoided but you lobbed several grenades and blew them to smithereens. You were bloodthirsty Syd"

She was shocked, she looked away his gaze was hurting her too much. She tried to pull her hands away but he held fast. "Sydney look at me" he commanded.

"I killed twenty men" she was dizzy.

"That was not you" he cupped his face in her hand "That was _not_ you" She continued to stare at him. They were both painfully aware of how close together they were, her thigh rested on top of his and his face was mere inches from hers. They're faces inched imperceptibly closer until his lips claimed hers. She kissed down his neck and traced his collarbone with her fingers. He pulled her back up and they kissed again, it became more urgent then the clothes started going. They both gave themselves up to the torrent of emotions and seductive calls of temptation.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Sydney woke up in an unfamiliar room and a man in her bed, he didn't have the same feel as Vaughn. He was softer, more defined, more fitting. Her half-open lids flew the full way up _Sark_! Crap, I slept with __Sark___! Last night's events came flooding back to her, she remembered getting drunk, he told her that he had seen her during the missing two years and then they kissed and somehow landed up in this bed._

_Nice going __Sydney__. I hope your not going to make a habit of this, getting drunk and then sleeping with the nearest male Sydney told the caustic voice in her head to put a sock in it. Suddenly Sydney was reminded of all her past relationships- handsome Noah, Mr. Right Vaughn, sweet Doug, loyal Will, romantic Danny. They were all out of her reach now, beyond her call. Will might land up dead any moment, Vaughn was in bed with another woman, her actions had killed two more of her loves and Doug was long behind her, just a memory. Her shoulders shook slightly with the sobs that she tried to suppress and a small choking noise escaped her. "Oh God, Vaughn what have I done?" _I'm all alone, all alone except for my worst enemy_ she snuggled down into the covers and pressed closer to him _It couldn't hurt to pretend, if only for a little while_ _

Julian Sark had been awake for the last half-hour just reveling in the vanilla essence that was Sydney. He had been just as alarmed as she to wake up by her side but decided that all ties could be broken off once Sydney woke up. He knew when she snapped into consciousness because he felt her muscles tense and he held his breath afraid of how she would react, perhaps continue her violent attack from the night before, he didn't dare speak, didn't dare break the perfection of the moment. Her response however was unexpected, she started crying. Sark felt torn up inside, he wanted to comfort her but knew that if he tried his attempts would be rebuffed. There was nothing he could do, then he heard her say "Oh God, Vaughn what have I done?" He stiffened, a violent rage coursed through him, she was beating herself up inside, dying, because of Michael Vaughn and while a part of him was afire with nothing but jealousy that after their night of passion the first name out of her lips was _his _the other part truly wished that Michael Vaughn would just die and give Sydney some piece. 

The cold practical part of his mind that Sark exhibited use of most of the time was beginning to kick in, but this time his sentimental side was interfering with his train of thought, he just mused. _This is highly dangerous and wasn't accounted for, I cannot afford to develop any emotional attachment to her. She could turn me over to the CIA in an instant, besides he thought bitterly _she'd choose her precious Vaughn over me any day. _He noticed that her breathing had become even again and kissed her on the top of her head __I can see why so many men have loved her, died for her, suffered for her. Her dearly departed fiancé Daniel Hecht, he loved her. Noah Hicks, the brilliant young man, he loved her, it almost killed her to watch him die. Will Tippen suffered, on that chair being tortured he still told her to forget him, not to give in. Michael Vaughn almost killed himself after she seemingly died, I remember seeing him soon after her demise. He was banging on the Plexiglas to my cell and demanding to know what hand I'd had in her death, he was unshaven and haggard. The guards eventually had to lead him away. Her parents too, Jack Bristow was willing to give up the only light in his life if it meant that she would be safe and the heartless Irina Derevko turned herself in, gave up on Rambaldi- all for her. A voice in his head interrupted _And___ you Mr. Sark? How did you feel? He answered his own question _Like___ it couldn't be possible, like I had been thrown against a wall, the rug swept out from under me. Of course then I put it down to losing a worthy opponent, but now he looked down at the precious bundle in his arms _I'm not so sure that was it.   _ _


	14. Chapter Fourteen

Two hours after waking up first Sydney woke up again, desperately hoping that it was a dream but it didn't make Sark's presence in her bed any less real. She sighed and got up, it was time to stop pretending. He could never care for her, why put herself through the heartache? Sure, he made her feel greater than she'd ever felt with Vaughn, but it was just the mask not the man, was it? She dismissed her thoughts and began to put on her clothes. The removal of her warmth from the bed woke Sark who watched her change, languidly stretching. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed his well toned abs _Not_ going there, remember?__

"Good morning Sydney" surprise of all surprises there was actually a smile on his face! Not a smirk, or leer, not a sneer. Sydney didn't know if she should slap it off him or kiss it and help it grow. Her weaker side caved in, she crawled back on the bed half-dressed and kissed him. He cupped the side of her face with one hand and the other moved down her bare skin to rest on her waist. Suddenly she broke it off, gasping for breath; she could see the confusion in his eyes. She jumped off the bed again and put on all of her clothes this time.

"This never happened, am I clear Jul- Sark?" he seemed to have noticed the slight slip. He felt bitter _So__ she's going to use that name again, to distance herself from me, not the name she was calling out last night_

The warmth that had melted his eyes into brilliant warm pools left them, they became polar ice caps once more and his voice reflected it "As you wish it" Sydney felt like she had just kicked a puppy _Albeit a puppy with a premature development of unusually sharp claws, but a puppy nonetheless_

Sydney hesitated then headed for the bathroom, she intended to have a long, long shower. She had to get his scent off her before it drove her insane. Fifteen minutes later she stepped out of the room, her hair was dripping wet and a towel was wrapped around her. Tendrils of steam escaped from the bathroom behind her, Sark didn't seem to be in the room. She had a slight panic moment and thought that he had left, abandoned her. She noticed that his laptop was still in the room and calmed down. She stripped off the towel and headed towards the closet, it was full of stylish clothes that she had no doubt Sark had had placed there.

She took out a white tube top, white tie up top to wear on top of it and a pair of faded blue jeans. She placed the on the bed, then shed her towel and began to change. Just then Sark walked in, carrying something in his hands. He shut the door behind him and turned to find a frantic Sydney that was trying to properly wrap her towel around herself.

He raised his eyebrows in amusement "I hardly think that after what we did last night you need be shy"

Sydney flushed, part of the reason was embarrassment, and the other part was anger. _He got over being rejected pretty fast, so much for the kicked puppy. She changed in front of him, taking her time. He knew that she was making a statement, one of defiance if he was not mistaken. _

He walked into the steaming bathroom "Honestly Sydney, what did you do, set off a smoke bomb in here?"  

He heard a low chuckle from the room behind him and wondered what it was about women that made them want to cover the bathroom in a fog each time they took a shower.

When Sark emerged from the shower, toweling off his hair and another towel wrapped around his waist he found Sydney sitting on the unmade bed. She was lying down on her front, her legs slowly kicking in the air and lazily flicking channels. She looked stunning for someone dressed so casually. She looked up at him when she heard the door open. He calmly proceeded to the cupboard and picked out a plain white T-shirt and blue jeans. It would look quite unusual if he was dressed for a business meeting and his wife for a shopping trip.

Sydney followed his every movement from the time that he came out of the shower. She had felt his eyes on her the entire time that she was changing and she intended to return the favor. It was becoming a challenge, each move the other made was a move in battle or on a chess board _Parry, thrust, parry, thrust_. Sark calmly changed his clothes, he seemed fully aware that he was being watched and seemed just as unperturbed as she had acted. His every movement passed the closest scrutiny until he sat down and tried to put his left shoe on his right foot, he quickly rectified the mistake but the damage had been done. When he turned around to look at her there was a triumphant gleam in her eye. _Round one, she wins_

Sark walked over to the table where a small velvet box was sitting, he grabbed it and headed towards Sydney. He handed it over to her, she took it looking up at him curiously.

"Open it" he said. She did as she asked, and gasped at what she saw inside. It was a slim gold band and set into it was a clear cut diamond that sparkled in the sunlight that streamed through the windows, reflecting off the light in a dazzling rainbow of colors.

"It's beautiful" she was awestruck- _Round 2- he wins_

"I'm glad you think so, it's your wedding ring and it took me some time to acquire"

She looked up at him "Thank you"

"Your welcome, now I really suggest that we head downstairs for breakfast before they close"

"Why not order here?" Sydney sat back on the bed.

Sark hesitated "We'll have to put in some sort of public appearance" but his mind was screaming the real reasons _Because__ I don't trust myself to be in the same room as you. Because every time I see that bed I think of you and us and what we did. Because I think I'm breaking the cardinal rule of being a criminal- never fall for your enemy. Because I can't even think of you as my enemy anymore._

"Well, if you put it that way. Might as well do it now, I'd like to go for a swim afterwards"

"Anything you want darling" Sydney detected the faint hint of mocking. 

As they closed the door behind them Sydney said "Honey?" her voice was deceptively sweet.

"Yes?"

"Don't call me darling"she strode off down the corridor, leaving Sark to follow in her wake. _Round 3- she wins_


	15. Chapter Fifteen

Sydney tested the springiness of the board then jumped and somersaulted in mid-air before hitting the water. There were whistles of appreciation from the audience, the people gathered around the large Olympic sized pool. She stayed underwater, swimming close to the bottom of the pool for several meters before coming up for air. There were appreciative gasps from her audience this time, she brushed her sopping wet hair back from her face and smiled at them. She climbed out of the pool where Sark was sitting in one of those long chairs with several female admirers taking up spaces somewhere near her. He was flirting with one of them and she was giggling and blushing shamelessly Sydney sourly noted. One of his 'admirers' was sitting on her chair and towel.

She smiled at the woman politely and asked her to get off then sat back in the chair, hoping that she would dry off soon. She was clad in nothing but a small black bikini and now that she was out of the pool it wouldn't be long before she began to feel cold. She closed her eyes against the sun.

"Hello" Sydney opened her eyes to look at the man that was addressing her. He was lightly tanned, green eyes glittered in his handsome face. Sydney smiled at him

"Hello"

From his position on the stretch beach chair he watched Sydney flirting with the man that had walked up to her. It took no mental effort on his part to maintain a conversation with the airhead that was sitting on the side of his chair much like Sydney's new pretty boy was. It irked him to see that his bare skin was rubbing against hers. She looked so tempting and tantalizing with the droplets of water running down her well toned body, the afternoon sun glinting off her bronzed skin. He continued his conversation with the girl with renewed vigor. This was a confrontation that he did not want her to win. From the corner of his eye he saw the man's hand graze Sydney's thigh, the movement was not accidental. He stood up abruptly causing the girl to stop in the middle of whatever she had been saying; he tapped Sydney on the shoulder.

"Aurélie, cherie, may I have a moment with you?" _Round 4- she wins_

"Certainly" Sydney beamed up at him. They retreated slightly away from the other people, closer to the plants. Sark made it look like they were cuddling.

"See that man over there with the dark glasses and gaudy shirt?" _Why is she so beautiful?_

"Yes" _Does he have to stand this close?_

"He's been watching us ever since he entered the pool area" _Let the bastard watch all he wants; I just want to watch her_

"One of Bauman's men" Sydney muttered_ If I don't get away from him fast, I am going to explode_

"Precisely, so I suggest that we make this look real" he claimed Sydney's mouth in a kiss that went on for a while. When they broke apart the various groupies had disappeared.

"Do you want to go up to the room?" he asked, his voice was husky and he cleared his throat. He could practically feel the energy crackling in the air between them.

"Yeah, good idea" her voice was breathy. They left. They didn't quite make it to the door in time, Sark fumbled with the access card as Sydney kissed him, her legs were thrown around his waist and she was doing some wonderful experimenting with her tongue. Sark moaned against her and finally managed to open the door, they stumbled into the room. Sark shut the door with his foot. They headed towards the bed, she threw him onto it and then straddled him. The logical part of her mind was having a revolution and demanding that reason take precedence but the feel of his smooth skin under her hands was a powerful enough force to kick her logical part's butt. She trailed soft kisses down his sternum and down to his belly button, eliciting sounds of pleasure. She toyed with him for some time, eventually Sark gained enough control of his wits to get revenge. She squealed in delight and gave herself over to the devil that was wild abandon. _Round 5- Oh boy did he win_


	16. Chapter Sixteen

Sydney woke to the smell of frying bacon and eggs. She remembered the last night's events and blushed at some of the things that they had done, she snuggled back down into the covers smiling.

"Good morning" she turned over and found Sark cooking at the stove _So__ that's where that delicious smell is coming from_

She stretched "Morning" she got off the bed and wrapped a sheet around herself. She padded across the room to give him a lingering kiss. She smiled against his mouth "I'm going to take a shower" her arm was linked with his, she turned to go but he pulled her back to give her another kiss before letting her go. 

Sydney took a bite of the bacon "This is great! Just right, not burnt but crisp. So that's another secret that you've been keeping from me, you can cook breakfast"

"Apparently" he grinned at her, she realized she'd never seen him do that before 'I also took home economics in boarding school, so I can cook a lot more than breakfast"

Sydney whistled "Guys must have thought you a real pansy"

"I didn't let them"

"Ahh" she took another bite of her food "So what are we doing today? It is the last day"

"We are going sightseeing"

"We are doing what??!"

"Tell me Sydney, I know you've been here several times on missions, but have you ever really seen the place?"

She frowned thoughtfully "No, I don't suppose I have"

"Well, it's about time that changed" he stood up and held out his arm to her "Shall we?"

***

Sydney stared up into the darkness, going over the day's events. Beside her she could sense Sark's even breathing. She smiled as she remembered, they had gone all over the place in Paris. The Eiffel Tower, a short cruise, traveled by limousine, tram, cab and metro. They had visited _Musée Louvre_ where the famous Mona Lisa and several other masterpieces were, they had also visited _Notre-Dame Cathèdral, Arc de Triomphe, Champs Elysèes_ (famous street),the Latin Quarter and _Ile de la Cité_. Julian had disappeared around dusk and Andrew, who was playing chauffeur had driven her back to the hotel. She had been disappointed but when she got up to the room there was a dress draped across the bed with a note on it that told her to be ready in an hour. It was a beautiful crimson one strap dress. She had dressed up; makeup light but noticeable, hair done up on top of her head with tendrils artfully escaping from the bunch and framing her face. She had also found a pair of red strap on shoes that fit her perfectly. By the time Andrew had come to pick her up she had been ready for a full fifteen minutes and speculating. It had taken another fifteen minutes for her to reach her destination, the windows had been blacked out so that she wouldn't see where they were headed.

When she stepped out she realized that they were at the Eiffel Tower, the lights were up and the sight was dazzling. Julian had been waiting, dressed impeccably in a black suit with quite the complimenting cut. It had been like a surreal dream, they had gone up to the 'Altitude 95' restaurant on the top floor of the Eiffel Tower with the spectacular view. There had been soft music, candlelight, ambience and amazing gourmet food. Then they'd landed up back at the hotel and the rest was censored. She grinned and turned over _I could get used to this_

Two hours later it was Sark that awoke, he'd just had a strange dream involving gummy bears, Mickey Mouse, and George Bush. He decided that all forms of media were in fact mentally damaging. He realized that he was in bed with the most amazing woman in the world and pulled her closer. He just watched her from some time, noticing how beautiful the moonlight made her look, the rise and fall of her chest under the covers, how her mouth was slightly parted in a smile; he just wanted to memorize her every feature for fear that she wouldn't be there in the morning. Then he heard her whisper something that made him stiffen "Michael" He retreated to the other side of the bed, he didn't think he could handle touching her right then.

In her dream _Sydney_ was walking barefoot along the moonlit beach arm in arm with Julian. The foaming waves gently flowed and ebbed, the sand was soft underfoot. Then they were sitting on the rocks as the waves crashed around them, they were still holding hands. Julian had his endearing curls back and they were slightly damp, ideal to run her hands through. It was perfect, then he turned to her and they began to kiss but there was a slight problem… Vaughn? He was sitting on the rock behind them staring at the couple disapprovingly. He was a troublesome thought gotten rid of quickly and then, back to the kiss… _back in the real world Sydney smiled in her sleep._


	17. Chapter Seventeen

Sydney stood nervously fidgeting with her hands as the man in front of her poured himself a scotch from a clear glass bottle. He took his time, slowly sloshing the drink around in the bottom of his glass and admiring the amber liquid. Beside her Sark stood with his hands behind his back, poised and as cool as ever. 

The man spoke "I don't have time to waste Mr. Sark"

"I can assure you that this is not a waste of your time Mr. Delfino"

"Alright then" he turned around to face the pair "What is it that you want?"

"Men, equipment and information to help me destroy the Covenant" 

He burst out laughing, Sark was unfazed "I am willing to pay you one million dollars"

The man sobered up "You are serious then? You plan to go up against what is currently the most dangerous criminal organization in the world?" Sark didn't comment. "What exactly do you want?" he was regarding Sark very carefully, weighing every word.

"Three diplomats were murdered in the United States in the last week, a woman was framed for them. I want to know who the real killer was"

He nodded "And?"

"And I am going to need at least twenty men, plus guns- Uzis, AKs, Glocks, hand grenades, anything. We'll need scrambling devices, tranquilizer guns, bombs, you know the routine Mr. Delfino"

"That I do Mr. Sark, that I do" he appraised Sark "But it is going to cost you more than a million"

"How much?"

"Three"

"Two and a half"

"Deal" he eyed Sydney "With her as a downpayment"

Sark glanced at an alarmed Sydney "She is with me and under my protection"

His gaze sharpened "And if I said that I'd take her anyway?"

"Then I'd inform you of the fact that you are currently in the crosshairs of two of my best snipers that are placed on various roofs"

Mr. Delfino burst into laughter again, this time in admiration. He waggled a finger at Sark "You are a very smart man Mr. Sark"

"I should hope so, one cannot afford to be naïve in my business"

"It is a deal then, I shall acquire your information as soon as possible" he shook hands with Sark.

"Thank you for your time"

"Not a problem" Sydney and Sark left. 

They descended the steps, "Thanks" she said.

"For what?" he looked at her, honestly puzzled.

"Well for saving me back there, I know you could…"

"No need" he interrupted

"Well that was a good move, placing those snipers"

Sark approached the waiting car "What snipers?" she just stared at him in astonishment and got in. He sat on the other side to avoid touching her. 

_Why is he being so cold? He's been like this since morning, he's back to being Mr. Assassin extraordinaire, so cold and stoic. Maybe that's it _she thought bitterly _it's all back to work now, forget Sydney she was a distraction, forget how you made her feel, forget everything you did. It's all about the work. Good job __Sydney_, you trusted him. For that one day and more you trusted him, decided to move on and give up on Vaughn. You forgot the one rule that applies to everyone that you love in your life- they always let you down. _She hid her tears by pretending that there was something in her eye and wiped her entire face for good measure._

_Dear God, why is she so irresistible? It's killing me, being so cold to her and she isn't happy about it either. I don't think she even remembers that dream, that she said HIS name. It's better this way, she's still in love with him no matter what she tells me or herself, she won't give up on him. If she had the choice, it would be him.  Of course it's better this way_ Sark wished that his own thoughts didn't sound so hollow to him. 

"So where are we going now?" it took some effort to keep her voice steady.

"We are going to my house in Ireland"

She turned her head sideways to look at him "Ireland?"

"It's where I was born" he said quietly. 

She smiled weakly "So the CIA files did make a good approximation"

"Apparently" they spent the rest of the ride in stony silence.

***

Sydney stared at the Victorian mansion as they pulled up to it. She got out, all the while admiring the beautiful architecture. The house was done in cream and tones of yellow. It was a two-story home and classic. Of course, this was Sark why expect anything other than the best?

Sark ordered some men to take her luggage and they escorted her to her room which was four doors down from his. _So we're not sharing a room. She barely noticed her opulent surroundings, the polished mahogany, original oil paintings, basket of fruit, plush sofa and a four poster bed that just served as a painful reminder of what she had done. She looked out the window and sourly noted that there were guards standing on the ground below, she had no doubt that guards were posted outside her room as well. She pressed her ear to the door and could hear slight shuffling _Yup, he did. Bastard__

She collapsed on the bed _Oh,__ this is going to be wonderful._

***


	18. Chapter Eighteen

_One week later_

Sydney looked up at the sound of  knocking. She had been reading a later addition of Dostoyevsky's _Crime and Punishment by light of the desk lamp in her room. She opened the door, hoping to find him there- and he was; but he wasn't smiling or in anyway like the man that turned up in her dreams. She sighed and resigned herself to the fact that Sark had once again hidden his other side from her._

"Yes?"

"The murderer's been found" he said not bothering to mince with words.

"And he or she is?"

"Karl Banes, regular contract killer. The fool has left a noticeable money trail, must've been ecstatic to receive that big a payoff. A team has already been dispatched, it won't be long before he's in government custody" he sounded disgusted at the other man's lack of prowess "Now Ms. Bristow, you have to uphold your end of the bargain" her spine stiffened _Back to Ms. Bristow is it __Sark__?_

She plastered on her sweetest smile and spoke in a honeyed voice "Never considered not doing it Julian" she made sure that she emphasized the use of his first name then slammed the door in his face. On the other side Julian Sark took a step back from the venom that the honey covered in her voice.

"We can start tomorrow" he called out.

"Great" her voice came back muffled.

"Perfect"

"Spiffing" he shook his head, _Did__ she just say 'spiffing'?! She's not thinking straight, must be very mad at me. I'd better watch it, damn __Sydney__ why do you make everything so hard? Thinking about how gorgeous she looked when she was angry was not helping him and he resolutely headed for his room to retire for the night._

***

_She was sitting in her room, Vaughn was on the bed next to her both had their feet dangling off the side. No matter how hard she tried she was being drawn towards him, drawing inexplicable closer. She closed her eyes before their lips met but the kiss held nothing for her; there was a void in her heart and soul that he could not fill. Then she opened her eyes wide and found herself looking into the eyes of Noah Hicks. She broke away, gasping then his form quickly melted swirling about in a grey mass that coalesced into Danny. He was smiling at her but instead of feeling reassured like she had always felt with him she felt cold, ripped up inside like when she found out that Vaughn got married. Then even he went and then there was only her, all alone in the bedroom. She had to get out of there, she ran for the door but the closer she got the further it way it seemed and the faster she ran the smaller it got. Then HE was there, her own personal blonde-haired blue-eyed jerk, he pulled her close and held her. She buried her head in his soft white shirt, she could smell the fruity musky cologne that he used and a scent that was so… him. She was comforted by his touch, the first shred she'd ever had is what it felt like. More secure in his arms than in any other's. She cried, let out all her pent up frustrations and anger, she just cried._

_He gently wiped away the tears and smiled at her. He gently traced her collarbone with his finger sending shivers down her spine. His eyes were so captivating, so arresting. He slowly undid the buttons of her shirt and his hand slipped around her waist his hand warm against her bare skin. Her eyes fluttered close as his mouth drew closer to hers, she could feel his warm breath on her face. His mouth enveloped hers and she was lost, a sun burst behind her eyelids. She was being drawn into a vortex of emotions, no longer were they standing in her room instead they were in what appeared to be a whirlwind of color. Greens, blues, reds, magentas, every conceivable color swirled together in the world's ultimate smoothie. A voice was screaming through her conscious 'IT IS FORBIDDEN!' the voice was loud yet quiet. It echoed around her, she kissed him harder. She couldn't let go now. The black-hole of despair was trying to draw her in; fear, pleasure, pain and confidence the hapless romantic's deadly drugs floated around her in abundance calling out to her. Then the ground opened up below her and she fell, fell and fell all the while watching him get smaller and smaller…_Sydney sat up in bed gasping for air, she could have sworn that she was falling. She recalled her dream vividly and a blush stained her cheeks. _Damn him for being even in my dreams! She made a decision, she was sick of all this silent lucidity. She needed something substantial if she was going to win the battle with herself._


	19. Chapter Nineteen

A/N- Contains quote from Monty Python's Argument Sketch

************

Sydney quietly padded across the room to the large window, careful not o make any noise lest the guards outside be alerted to the fact that she was awake. Undoubtedly they would be relaxing when they thought that she was out cold on her bed. She slipped outside onto the wooden ledge that ran the entire length and breadth of the house. The cold air nipped at her, biting through the thin fabric of her PJs. She edged sideways towards Sark's room praying that nothing would be dislodged by her hands and feet that could fall and warn the guards below of her presence. She was on a mission.

***

Sark had been poring over some manuscript or the other and had lightly dozed off. He heard slight creak and shuffling on the other side of the room. His eyes snapped open and turned around. He blinked twice before rubbing his eyes, no she was still there. Sydney Bristow was climbing in through his bedroom window wearing her nightclothes. He began to wonder if he hadn't perhaps moved on from light dozing to deep sleep. He stood up and walked over to her, she was dusting her clothes off.

"Tsk, tsk Sy-Ms. Bristow, you musn't go creeping about in the night and into other people's rooms. What would your boyfriend think?"

Sydney looked up at him, unperturbed "Don't have one" she said calmly "You really should reprimand those guards of yours you know, I could have just slipped in here and killed you before they could do a thing"

"You're underestimating me Ms. Bristow"

She stepped back and looked him up and down "That's a first" she murmured, Sark flushed darkly. 

"What exactly did you come here for?" she moved closer until her body was pressed against his. _Damn it Julian, focus! She's playing tricks on you, you're supposed to keep away from her remember?_

"I came here for an argument" she pushed passed him and sat down on his bed, she bounced on it a little "That is of course if you're up to it" _Calm down, don't kill him. Take deep breaths_ being near him was infuriating her, after three nights of nothing but pleasure he gave her one week of pain. He had been cold and uncaring, avoiding her. She even had her meals in her room!

Sark was surprised "Sydney I don't know what's sparked off this brazen behavior but…" she was up and at him so fast that he didn't even see it coming. He was pinned up against the wall, Sydney's arm across his throat. 

"Don't know?" she hissed incredulously "You have been avoiding me for a week!! Was it all just pillow talk _Julian?" she twisted his name "Was it? Every single sweet thing you whispered in my ear, you made me believe in something! For the first time in four months, for the first time since I woke up without my memory and my life destroyed, _for the first time_ I believed and then you took it away again. Is this another one of your mind games or is it just that easy for you to forget?" her grip on him loosened and her eyes filled with tears, she turned her face away from his wide eyes "Is it? Did I mean that little to you? Another conquest?" she asked softly. She let him go and began to back away _I have to get out of here_ but he grabbed her before she could escape the way she came._

He pulled her to him roughly and kissed her. She gave in to him, she was trying to fight and trying to pull him closer at the same time. They fumbled with clothes, their fingers suddenly felt thick and clumsy. He blindly kissed her, taking whatever bare skin he found. She was intoxicating, the dreams that he had been preparing to live with for the rest of his life did not do her justice. In his dreams he was helpless with her, in life he was far beyond helpless. He lost himself in her touch, her scent, her sound, her body. He needed to remember everything, to have at least the memory of this otherworldly being that could bring him to his knees with a word and a touch.

He picked her up and set her down on the bed but she put a hand to his chest to stop him from coming any closer, she looked straight into his eyes

"I have to know" there was need in her eyes, a desperation to find some semblance of order in chaos, a need to become one with the chaos. A part of her mind was screaming _Mind games!!!!! You are nothing to him, nothing!! _

"You have how much you mean to me Sydney" she saw the sincerity in his clear eyes and heard it in his voice. She pulled him closer and this time no voice in her head dared protest.  


	20. Chapter Twenty

"So what's the plan?" Sydney dropped onto a chair. Sark and his men were sitting around a table. She shared a smile with him that did not go unnoticed by the men, who shared smirks of their own.  
  
"Well, we can't afford to personally raid every base that they have. So we're going to destroy the three main ones instead. With Mr. Delfino's men we have been split into three teams. James and Shamus are leading them, we must strike hard and fast. In and out nothing fancy"  
  
"So what you're saying is" she said slowly "that we're going to strike simultaneously, you get off scott-free while they're still scrambling, it'll take their eyes off you and buy you time to go into hiding. By the time they suspect you, you won't be there"  
  
"Brilliant deduction Sydney, you might make a passable criminal yet" She whacked him on the arm but there was a playful glint in her eyes. "First we're going to need the access card of course"  
  
"What are we waiting for?"  
  
***  
  
Sydney stepped out of the bathroom to find Sark waiting on the bed. He was wearing his customary suit, a navy blue one with a white shirt and no tie. He stood up when she entered, speechless "Sydney."  
  
She was dressed in a Burgundy two piece that clung to her every curve. The lace and satin was classy yet comfortable, it ended three-fourths down her thighs. Definitely one of her less daring numbers, but she looked drop dead gorgeous in it anyway.  
  
She blushed faintly and smiled at him sweetly "Do you think I'm beautiful?"  
  
He grabbed her and pulled her closer "You have no idea" he whispered in her hair. He kissed her eyelids "Your eyes are more haunting than Sharbat Gula's" he kissed her nose "Your nose would shame Cleopatra's" he softly kissed her on the mouth "Your smile far surpasses Mona Lisa's" his hands traveled down over her curves and came to rest at her waist "Venus herself could not contest your beauty Sydney, nor could Joan of Arc be more brave or have a soul more pure"  
  
She moved closer to kiss him but a voice shattered the moment "Sir, we're ready to go!"  
  
He glared at the door, thoroughly annoyed "We're coming" he answered. He gave Sydney a quick kiss and then it was time to go. She sighed and followed him, realizing that was as close as she was going to get to being serenaded. [I]Beautiful litany, and surprise; I do believe he came up with all that himself. Damn his men for being punctual for once, no[/I] she amended [I]they're always punctual.[/I] Damn Julian for making my knees all rubbery *** [I]Moscow[/I]  
  
"Ready Sydney?" she heard Sark's voice in her earpiece.  
  
"Aren't I always?" she muttered.  
  
"Right, well this should be easy. In and out, no tricky business"  
  
"Got it. Going radio silent"  
  
"Good luck" she remembered the last time he said that to her and smiled as she remembered  
  
-FLASH-  
  
"Good luck Sydney"  
  
"I don't need you to wish me luck you son of a b****"  
  
"That's a wonderful attitude"  
  
-END FLASH-  
  
She entered the building, it was the Bolshoi theater in Moscow; a beautiful old building that was occupied by the Bolshoi Ballet Company, Sydney hadn't managed to catch the name of the ballet that she would be going to see but she knew that whatever it was it would be lovely. She remembered her mother telling her stories of the wonderful performances and of the rumored affair between a Romanov family member and one of the lead ballerinas, she were showered with many Faberge eggs. Sydney took her seat in the top box that faced the stage directly, it had an amazing view.  
  
Before long a sturdy man in his mid-fifties took the seat beside her. He was her target- Viktor Mendel, the second most important man in the Covenant. She was aware that there were many guards behind her, his personal guards. She smiled politely at him and looked down at all the people that were crowding in, it looked like the famous theater had been booked out again.  
  
Mendel took a look at the show programme, she leaned forward still smiling sweetly and said in Russian "Excuse me" she spoke with a thick Russian accent "I forgot to get one of the programmes, could I have a look at yours?" he nodded and handed over the book, he didn't see the fine spray of gas being emitted by the handbag that Sydney held. She leaned back in her chair and read it. The show started and the performers gracefully glided across the stage. Two minutes later Viktor Mendel was running for the bathroom, his personal guards followed.  
  
She smirked, the gas seemed to be doing its work, it was supposed to make whoever inhaled it puke, a lot. She had taken antidote earlier. This was going to be ridiculously easy.  
  
She quietly slipped out of the box and crept down the corridor towards the men's room. She spotted the two guards waiting outside, she sauntered up to them and used an aerosol to knock them out before they could respond. She walked in to find Mendel washing his hands and looking slightly green around the gills. He spun around and Sydney's fist met with his face, she rifled his pockets as he lay unconscious on the floor and found his wallet with the access card. She waltzed out of the Bolshoi theater with a smile on her face.  
  
*************** A/N- The Bolshoi theater is a real theater in Moscow and it is amazing!! I went to Moscow on a school trip and we made an unscheduled stop there, stupefying and amazing dancers. I fell in love with St. Petersburg A/N2-Sharbat Gula is this girl from Afghanistan whose photo was taken when she was thirteen in a concentration camp, some years later the journalist that had first taken the photo found her. 


	21. Chapter Twentyone

Sark quietly slipped out of bed, not wanting to disturb the angel there and headed for the bathroom. He needed a shower. He froze when he heard her mumble unintelligibly and turn over in her sleep, he turned back but her eyes were still closed and her breathing even. Relieved, he went in and stepped into the shower.  
  
As the jet of hot water pounded down on him he thought of her, how beautiful she was, so vulnerable, smart. He remembered last night's events and smirked [I]Domineering too, I was completely at her mercy[/I] He closed his eyes and lifted his face so that the water hit his face. [I] It won't be long now, we'll take down the Covenant and then... And then?[/I] That inherent devil of a voice had popped up again [I] Then what? You'll just disappear riding your horses into the sunset and live happily after? Settle down and have a nice house with a white picket fence and have kids? We could try She wants her family, she's been without them for two years. Now you want her to spend the rest of her life with you after you banged her a couple of times? She lov... Ah ah ah! I don't recall her saying any such thing She did I hardly think calling out such a thing in the throes of passion counts, she probably said that to every guy that she... NO! She loves me I didn't hear her calling out [B]your[/B] name in her sleep, besides what can you offer her?[/I] "Nothing" he whispered and banged his hands against the wall [I] Glad we see mind to mind on that She'll leave, you'll cut off all ties. She'll get over it, she'll find some other guy to 'love' and you'll be history. I hear Will Tippen is on the market... She wouldn't sleep with him You're kidding yourself, she doesn't want to spend her life running or settling down with a killer. Face it, you're Mr. Rebound. She doesn't want you, she wants Mr. Goody-two-shoes Michael Vaughn of the puppy dog eyes and many wrinkles I could be the good guy, for her [/I] the voice snorted [I] Right, and I'm the heir to the throne of England[/I]  
  
He stepped out of the shower, feeling weary. He wrapped a white towel around himself and walked into the bedroom where he found Sydney lying on the bed, facing him. Her eyes were bright and lively, she smiled at him warmly. He returned it without thinking and he approached when she beckoned. He leaned over and kissed her.  
  
"'Morning Ms. Bristow"  
  
"Good morning Mr. Sark" she grinned at him and yanked him down, he tumbled on top of her. She pulled him in for another kiss but stopped suddenly "What's wrong?"  
  
He averted his gaze "Nothing"  
  
"Tell me"  
  
"Do you still love him?" he asked softly, he looked at her, gauging her reaction  
  
"Him?" she seemed confused, then light dawned "No, of course not."  
  
He wondered if his mind was playing tricks on him but her denial seemed to come too quickly, she bit her lower lip hesitantly and he regarded her expectantly "I did something" she gestured vaguely "before, I just thought that I'd tell you that I...I slept with Will" the last part came out in a rush  
  
His heart constricted [I]She'd never sleep with him right?[/I] he saw her slightly pressed back in her pillow and nervously watching him, she didn't want him to be mad at her. He smiled reassuringly and pulled her into an embrace  
  
"But he wasn't better than me right?" he grinned when Sydney whacked him hard  
  
"Julian!"  
  
"Just kidding" he kissed her neck softly and she pressed closer to him. He pulled away and she looked at him, hurt. His mirth disappeared "You said his name"  
  
"Will's? What?" she was mystified  
  
"In your sleep, you said his name" the way he said 'his' left no question as to who 'him' was.  
  
"Vaughn? But I couldn't have, I..."  
  
"You did, I heard you. On our last day at the Hotel Infinity. You talked in his sleep"  
  
"Is that why you've been acting so weird? You thought I was dreaming about him?!" she hit him on his arm, hard. "You didn't even ask for an explanation before!" She felt hurt that he would think such things of her. [I] Will he never learn? [/B]  
  
He looked at her cautiously "So you weren't dreaming about him?"  
  
She looked at him with a new understanding "You're jealous!"  
  
"No, I am not. I have no idea where you came up with such a ridiculous notion"  
  
She smirked knowingly, an expression disconcertingly like Sark's ever familiar one "Yes you are"  
  
"You're evading the subject"  
  
"Yes, he did appear in my dreams. I don't know why I said his name but I was trying to get rid of him, he was interrupting us. Satisfied?"  
  
"Really?" he could sense her sincerity and his own eyes sparkled with interest "And what were we doing exactly?"  
  
She nipped his ear playfully and leaned back then pulled him towards her "Come here and I'll show you" he made no protest. 


	22. Chapter TwentyTwo

[I] Four days later [/I]  
  
Sydney stared up at the ceiling her heart pounding from the recent dream that she had been having, well actually a memory. Beside her Sark mumbled something in his sleep and pulled her closer, his smooth warm chest pressed against and comforted her. She tried not to think about it  
  
-FLASH-  
  
Sydney finished erasing the files from the computer and shorted out the system. She rigged the bomb to detonate in five minutes and hurried out of the room. She raced across the metal, her feet pounding as the alarms blared all around the institution. [I] Just need to get down the steps and then soon I'll be out of here [/I]  
  
She stopped at the sight below her, a bloodied Sark was kneeling on the floor in front of a Covenant man. The rest of the team was either injured or dead and sprawled on the floor, several more Covenant lackeys stood around. He had a gun pointed at him and his finger applied a slight pressure on the trigger...  
  
"NO!!!!" She screamed and realized that she had automatically drawn her gun, every muzzle in the room turned to point at her including the gun that the man had been about to shoot Sark with. She pointed her gun at him "I recommend that you back away from him now before you regret it" she said in a low voice.  
  
The man laughed harshly "And who are you?"  
  
"My name is Sydney Bristow" the men below exchanged amused glances, she realized that to them Sydney Bristow meant nothing. She knew that if she didn't think of something fast, she would be dead so she played on a hunch "A.K.A Julia Thorne" she said softly.  
  
[I] OK, that name registered [/I] The men's eyes widened and they backed away [I] I suppose I should be flattered [/I] she clattered down the steps and grabbed Sark. They left the building mostly unhindered, the surviving men followed. They got in the van, Sark sank into his seat pressing the gunshot wound in his stomach.  
  
He tried to say something, Sydney leaned in closer "Thank you" she heard him whisper, she smiled at him reassuringly and gave him some water to soothe his parched lips. Then he passed out "JULIAN! JULIAN!!" she yelled and tried to revive him "Julian, please wake up, please?" she tried to stop the tears that slid down her cheeks. The Covenant was history, she just prayed that he wasn't too. "Please wake up, I love you" she whispered.  
  
-END FLASH-  
  
Sydney wiped away the tear that escaped her damp eyes as she remembered. She had been so close to losing him, when she saw him like that- kneeling, defeated, about to die- all she could think about was how he made her feel, how much she loved him, every thing he'd ever said or done. She had just stared and he caught her eye, he just looked at her, his final goodbye lingering in his eyes and a hint of the usual smirk hovering around his cut lips. She didn't know how, or why but she had fallen in love with the most conceited, arrogant, considerate, romantic man that had ever existed, but she knew. In that one moment she knew beyond a doubt that any love for Vaughn other than friendship was gone, she loved him. He had survived though, and now he slept next to her, she knew then that it wasn't just the sex; they're relationship was real, no pretenses to put up nothing to hide behind and she was glad that she could finally love him without hesitation and doubt. She kissed him on his forehead and smiled- anyone that harmed her British cocky son of a b**** would have had to answer to her.  
  
*** [I] Next Morning [/I]  
  
Sydney rested against Sark lazily on the couch. They were doing absolutely nothing, only wanting to relax and enjoy each other's company. He lay on his side, holding Sydney. Only one thing marred the perfect morning, an unasked and unanswered question hovering around them.  
  
"Sydney, you have..."  
  
"Don't Julian" she interrupted "Please don't spoil this"  
  
"Don't you want to see them?"  
  
"Of course I do, I just don't want to leave you"  
  
"Well if I go with you I'll be back in my old cell before I can say 'crud'"  
  
"Maybe not, I mean if I explained..." she trailed off as she accepted that that situation was not happening, apparently Sark didn't think it was happening anytime soon either if his snort of derision was anything to judge by.  
  
"Just stay" he whispered in her hair and he placed a trail of soft kisses along the curve of her neck. "Stay with me and we can run away from all of this, everything. I don't want you to go Sydney, I don't know what I'd do"  
  
She stood up abruptly and Sark found himself clutching air. She ran a hand through her hair "I can't keep running away Julian. I can't run away from them, they're my family, my friends. Everywhere I run they run with me, in my heart and I can't give that up."  
  
He looked up at her, admiring how a lock of hair fell across her face in an endearing way. "What do you want me to do?"  
  
"I don't know" she sat down on the bed "I honestly don't know, but if we did run away; away from all of this are you really willing to leave this all behind?" she looked around the opulent surroundings.  
  
"I don't need stretch limos and mansions to keep me happy Sydney, I have you" she smiled sweetly. She moved to sit back on the couch and looked down at him. Sark's cell phone, sitting on the bedside table rang insistently. He quickly grabbed it and answered "Sark" he listened to the voice on the other end.  
  
"Will he be a problem?"  
  
"No, don't eliminate him just yet. He might still be of use" Sydney shivered at the cold timbre of his voice that had been so warm only seconds before. When he mentioned 'elimination' she was hit with a profound realization. He was a killer, or at least it was in his profession. He was still the same person that she had gone after, the same person that had killed so many. The man whose first image ever captured had been that of shooting Quan Li. She knew that the relationship was impossible, they would always have to run and the strain might eventually break them. She had to make her decision.  
  
Sark closed his cell phone and put it off then smiled warmly at her but her own sunny smile had melted away. "I want to go back today" he looked like he had been slapped  
  
***  
  
"So" Sark rocked slightly on his feet.  
  
"So" Sydney sounded nervous.  
  
"They're waiting for you"  
  
"I guess"  
  
"I won't be dropping you off"  
  
"Fine"  
  
He sighed "What is it Sydney? Why are you acting like this?"  
  
She looked straight into his eyes, her burning gaze commanded the attention of his own "You're still going to continue what you do aren't you?"  
  
He could hear the meaning behind the words, it was so clear [I] So, you're going to continue killing people in cold blood for fun?[/I] "Sydney, I..."  
  
"I'd like a yes or no for now Sark"  
  
He winced at her reversion to using his last name "I can't just drop my business" They had been avoiding talking since he had woken up that morning. He had made a deal with her- help take down the Covenant, he'd clear her name and she could go home. She'd held up her end and he his, she hadn't seen her friends and family in a little over a month, she had no reason to stay. He had hoped that somehow she would stay, that she would want to pursue a relationship, that she did in fact love him. A fool's hope. [I]There is nothing crueler than hope[/I] he thought bitterly [I]the light at the end of the tunnel that turns out to be a train. The comforting mirage that taunts you from across the edge of a dune, the cruel sway that it holds- longing for the unguent to soothe parched lips and swollen tongue only to have it snatched away when that seemingly real image is reached for.[/I] He gave her his custom expressionless look [I]You are my mirage Sydney.[/I]  
  
"I see. Goodbye Sark" her voice was cold. She brushed passed him as she headed for the vehicle that would take her back to the place she lived, her old life [I]But not home, no, home is here with him a home that we can't afford to build even if he were willing. I love him anyway but I can't tell him that, can't risk it[/I]  
  
Even though he had resolved to live with the memory of her love and her, something he had braced himself for so many times, he couldn't help but be hurt by what he saw in her eyes in what felt like their last moments together. Disappointment. That voice popped up again [I] I told you so[/I] 


	23. Chapter TwentyThree

Sark watched the video surveillance feed of the CIA office with his back to the door, he saw Sydney walk in. Andrew entered the room; Sark was glad that the man had been with the other more successful team.  
  
"Sir, we..." he cut off when he saw Sark's hand raise. He quietly backed out of the room [I] Poor bloke [/I]he knew that to most people Sark was a cold- hearted bastard, an opinion that he had often shared; but after he saw Sydney Bristow and saw his boss see Sydney Bristow- he had begun to see the humanity underneath, so carefully concealed. He hoped that the blanket Sark used to cover that side of him didn't smother it.  
  
***  
  
"Sydney, thank God your alright" she smiled and rested her head against her father's shoulder. She was happy to finally see him, she had been unable to contact him even to inform him that she was safe. She knew that soon enough the questions would start, sanctuary with anyone in her life was only temporary. In fact she was surprised he didn't start it as soon as she entered, he had seemed shocked enough when he first saw her.  
  
"Sydney!" she turned around to find a beaming Marshall "Hey!" he hugged her suddenly and she smiled they pulled away "You scared us, a lot, well you scared me a lot. I mean you know your dad" he leaned in and said in a conspiratorial voice "You know, man of steel and all that but you get the point. We were all worried, Di..."  
  
"Welcome back Sydney" Dixon walked up behind Marshall who blushed and moved away, Sydney hugged her former partner then shook hands with and briefly hugged Lauren. Then Vaughn came, she was incredibly happy to see him. He just looked at her, he didn't know how she would react if he so much as touched her, he gave her that quirky understanding look that she had loved him so much for before. All his doubts vanished when she threw herself into hugging him.  
  
***  
  
Sark watched impassively as she hugged her father, Marshall, Dixon. He saw her pause before shaking hands with Lauren and then briefly hugging her. He saw her hug Vaughn.  
  
He didn't notice the pain when his tight grip caused the glass that he had been holding to shatter, nor did he notice it when he gripped the arm of his chair with knuckles white, digging the shards of glass in deeper. He switched off the monitors and moved to sit on the black leather couch, he poured himself a glass of raw whiskey and took a huge swig. He felt the need to fortify himself  
  
[I] Dammit, I don't know what to think. Did she just forget? Was she playing games with me? Was she away from sanity so long that she let it go and indulge in forbidden fruit that was cast away in favor of old flavors? She stole my heart and she just won't give it back, God it hurt seeing that look. Like she saw me as that cold blooded assassin again, like we hadn't shared the things we had; but she was so happy to see Agent Wrinkles wasn't she, Mr. Michael Bloody Vaughn. She said that she didn't love him, did she lie to me? What does she see in him that draws her under such a spell? I can't take this, being away from her. It's tearing me apart, if she really doesn't love me I have to know. [/I]  
  
***  
  
Sark sat at the kitchen counter in Sydney's home on a barstool. He was waiting for Sydney to appear, he needed to talk to her. He had to know if she still loved him, that he was willing to give it all up for her.[I] And if she hates me, at least I'll always love her.[/I] He heard voices outside the door and a key rattled in the lock [I] Voices, not voice, [B]voices[/B] [/I]  
  
Sydney had been away so long that her car, which she had left outside, had been impounded. So at 11 in the night, still at the office after an impromptu welcome back party she had suddenly realized that short of walking for 2 hours she had no way of getting home. Marshall would be staying back, her father had already left, Weiss had fallen asleep at his desk and Dixon was staying too. Vaughn had offered her a ride home and she had gladly accepted. The entire way home she had thought about Sark, hoping that he had called though after the way she had behaved she would have been surprised if he had. She chastised herself [I] I thought you already made your decision? Push him away, you have to keep him safe.[/I] Vaughn had come upstairs to drop her off and they laughed and talked, he said goodnight and went back down to his car.  
  
Sydney had walked in and collapsed on her bed without undressing. She didn't notice the window leading to the fire escape was slightly ajar.  
  
***  
  
Sark sat up in bed, gasping for air and drenched in a cold sweat. He had just dreamt of Sydney, so many jumbled things; Sydney killing him, saying she hated him, Sydney joining with Vaughn just to spite him, Sydney taunting, tempting the goddess constantly just out of his reach, Vaughn in a boy scout costume doing good deeds and receiving reward in the form of Sydney and finally Sydney and Vaughn doing some very inappropriate things.  
  
[I] Fine, so I'll never be good enough for her. She wants a saint, she'll never have that in me but I can try. Even if she doesn't notice, if she doesn't care at least I would have tried, if only for the memory of [B]her[/B]. [/I]  
  
***  
  
"Sydney! Sydney!" Weiss ran up to her, slightly out of breath. She turned around and looked at him questioningly "Come on" he gestured and she followed him, still curious.  
  
"What's going on?" they took the elevator to a lower level and took the flash retina scan to enter the floor.  
  
"We thought you might like to interrogate him yourself" she was thoroughly confused  
  
"Interrogate who?" they were approaching an interrogation room, she opened the door and walked in "Oh" 


	24. Chapter TwentyFour

A/N- The song in bold italics is Alanis Morissette- Head Over Feet, I altered a few words *** [I] Recap- "Sydney! Sydney!" Weiss ran up to her, slightly out of breath. She turned around and looked at him questioningly "Come on" he gestured and she followed him, still curious.  
  
"What's going on?" they took the elevator to a lower level and took the flash retina scan to enter the floor.  
  
"We thought you might like to interrogate him yourself" she was thoroughly confused  
  
"Interrogate who?" they were approaching an interrogation room, she opened the door and walked in "Oh" [/I]  
  
Sark sat at the interrogation table, well and truly shackled. He looked up at the sound of her voice and met her gaze, his was steely and cold but something glimmered behind that mask. She averted her gaze and stepped out of the room, Weiss followed.  
  
"We got an anonymous tip from someone telling us where Sark was, Dixon told us to follow up on it and we had him in here in no time"  
  
"He didn't put up any resistance?" she sounded incredulous.  
  
"Not really, must have figured he was boxed in and there was nothing else we could do. We figured that after all he's done to you you should get the first crack at him"  
  
She seemed distracted "Was the tip called in?"  
  
"No, we got it in the form of a note"  
  
"Can I see it?" [I] This makes no sense, all of his men are loyal. Who would betray him? What would they have to gain from it if it was anonymous? [/I]  
  
"Sure, it's upstairs. Sark can wait" They went back up to the main office and Weiss collected a sheet of paper from a desk he handed it to Sydney "Here, it's already been analyzed" her eyes sharpened as she noticed the paper head of the note and the unusual color of the sheet. She hurriedly handed the note back to Weiss.  
  
"I want to interrogate him first" he nodded "But I don't quite feel up to it today, if I go down there now there might not be enough of Ju- Sark left to be interrogated. I'd rather do it tomorrow, I don't want him harmed. Is that feasible?" Weiss nodded again.  
  
"Sure Syd, until then Sark can spent some time reacquainting himself with his old cell" he smirked, "It was Dixon's idea and the rest of us seconded it"  
  
She smiled distractedly, trying to seem gloating "Good idea, um I have to go. Catch you later?" she slipped by him and out of the CIA building. She drove home and flopped down onto her couch. She thought of the note  
  
-FLASH-  
  
"What are you doing?" Sydney peered at Sark from her perch on the window seat.  
  
"Writing a letter"  
  
"What happened to e-mail?"  
  
"My laptop isn't working" he said, frustrated  
  
"Aww, poor baby" he glared at her and she sauntered up to him, she kissed his glare away and looked at the letter. She quirked an eyebrow at him "Personalized stationary?" she asked skeptically.  
  
"What?" he defended himself, "At least it doesn't have my name on it"  
  
"It's peach" she said flatly  
  
"I thought peach was the new white" it was his turn to play with the eyebrow expressions. She narrowed her eyes at him  
  
"Did you read my magazine?"  
  
"Me?" he looked so innocent it was laughable.  
  
"Yes you"  
  
"Haven't the faintest idea what your talking about" she continued to glare at him suspiciously, he pulled her in for a kiss. They broke apart, breathless "I must admit" he murmured "You would look absolutely ravishing in some of that lingerie"  
  
She stood bolt upright "So you did read it!" she crowed triumphantly  
  
He stood up and wrapped his arms around her "Screw the magazine Sydney, I have better things in mind"  
  
"Really? Like what?" he showed her "Oh"  
  
-END FLASH-  
  
[I] Pompous idiot[/I] She shook her head [I] My pompous idiot [/I] [B] [I] I had no choice but to hear you  
  
You stated your case time and again I thought about it [/I] [/B]  
  
She just sat and thought of all the encounters that she had had with Sark.  
  
-FLASH-  
  
He cocked his gun at her "Whatever Arvin Sloane pays you, it can't be enough. Would you consider coming to work for me if it meant I'd let you walk out of here? I believe if you took the time to hear a comprehensive offer, you might actually say yes"  
  
She looked him over "You're cute, but I'll pass" then they fought  
  
-FLASH-  
  
"You and I, we're destined to work together I truly believe that" he pressed the button "Of course, any future collaboration would require my turning the sprinkler system off"  
  
-FLASH-  
  
He got into the ambulance and looked back at her "It was nice working with you"  
  
-FLASH-  
  
"I would like to work with you again Ms. Bristow, your various talents are admirable. We've made a good team before, why not now?"  
  
"Because unlike you Sark I derive no pleasure from mercilessly executing hundreds of innocent human beings for blood sport."  
  
"We could make a great team"  
  
"Go to hell"  
  
-END FLASH-  
  
[B] [I] You treat me like I'm a princess  
  
I'm not used to liking that  
  
You ask how my day was [/I] [/B]  
  
She had been so enchanted that day in Paris, just one day of romantic bliss. When she had stepped out of that car, she had seen his handsome face. All the trouble that he'd taken; to get her a dress and set up the perfect evening.  
  
[B] [I] You've already won me over in spite of me  
  
Don't be alarmed if I fall head over feet  
  
Don't be surprised if I love you for all that you are  
  
I couldn't help it  
  
It's all your fault [/I] [/B]  
  
She pulled the disk that she had written at the lab before and tossed it into the bin. She pulled out her cell phone and keyed in a sequence "Hello? I need you help" she talked for another five minutes before hanging up.  
  
[B] [I] Your love is thick and it swallowed me whole  
  
You're so much braver than I gave you credit for  
  
That's not lip service [/I] [/B]  
  
[I] So he wants to play martyr does he? That's just like him, well we'll see about that [/I] 


	25. Chapter TwentyFive

Sark sat in his jail cell, his back against the wall and his head resting against it. Much like the position he was in when the presumed dead younger female Bristow had waltzed in to question him about his involvement and knowledge of her disappearance. He had seen her face that morning, he saw her when she stepped into the room; she was so surprised. He had felt slightly bitter at that, that she wouldn't think enough of him to think that he would have the guts to do what he had done.  
  
[B] [I] You've already won me over in spite of me  
  
Don't be alarmed if I fall head over feet  
  
Don't be surprised if I love you for all that you are  
  
I couldn't help it  
  
It's all your fault [/I] [/B]  
  
It had been such a surprise, to find himself in bed with her. Such a surprise to have her come after him again. In her arms he had felt comforted, forgiven, absolved of all of the dark sins that stained his soul. She was the powerful soap that could wash it out, if only... Perhaps he truly deserved it, after all the pushing. In her eyes, he had betrayed her.  
  
[B] [I] You are the bearer of unconditional things  
  
You held your breath and the door for me  
  
Thanks for your patience [/I] [/B]  
  
It had all been so simple, one anonymous tip with the right wording that would whet their appetite and they had come after him. He had let all of his pride and dignity go by letting them capture him instead of surrendering. He hoped that now at least, she would think better of him. Right at that moment he couldn't even think of her first name, he didn't want to break down on security camera.  
  
Suddenly he heard a commotion outside, he saw a smoke bomb land outside his cell and heard the bars being lifted. The box that he was in was airtight so none of the gas got in, he saw three men in gas masks stop outside his door. The combination was quickly typed in and the door opened they came in and took him, handing him a gas mask.  
  
"Come on sir! We don't have much time!" it was Andrew  
  
"But..."  
  
"No buts sir, we have to go now!" Sark was half-dragged and half ran out of the facility.  
  
[I] What will she think of me now? Oh yes of course, the traitor toying with her mind. Trying to be good. She'll never smile at me again or say my name without loathing, the insidious Mr. Sark [/I] he felt like bursting into bitter laughter.  
  
***  
  
He sat in his luxurious room and stared at the wall blankly. Thinking of her. He just wanted to remember her sweetness, how lively she was when she was drunk. He had talked too much, and she had listened. She had been funny, understanding and a regular giggler. For a short time, she had been his friend.  
  
[B] [I] You're the best listener that I've ever met  
  
You're my best friend  
  
Best friend with benefits [/I] [/B]  
  
There was a knock on the door. He sighed, assuming that it was Andrew. He wanted to be alone but answered the door anyway and stared. Sydney stood in front of him, framing the doorway. She looked at him and stepped into the room, closing the door behind her.  
  
[B] [I] What took me so long [/I] [/B]  
  
They just stood like that for a few minutes. Staring into each other's eyes and souls. In those moments he knew all he needed to, she had extracted him, she loved him not Vaughn, she had chosen him whether she said it or not. She was committed.  
  
[B] [I] I've never felt this healthy before  
  
I never wanted something irrational  
  
I am aware now  
  
I am aware now [/I] [/B]  
  
[B] [I] You've already won me over in spite of me  
  
Don't be alarmed if I fall head over feet  
  
Don't be surprised if I love you for all that you are  
  
I couldn't help it  
  
It's all your fault [/I] [/B]  
  
Her hand lifted and she slapped him hard across the face. He looked at her, rubbing his aching cheek that bore the angry red imprint of her hand "What was that for?"  
  
"That was for stealing my heart and being a cocky son of a b****" she jumped on him, wrapping her legs around his waist. They stumbled backwards onto the bed, she smiled, looking down at him. "And this" she said softly "is for stealing my heart and being a cocky son of a b****" her lashes fluttered closed as she leaned in to kiss him  
  
[B] [I] You've already won me over in spite of me  
  
Don't be alarmed if I fall head over feet  
  
Don't be surprised if I love you for all that you are  
  
I couldn't help it  
  
It's all your fault [/I] [/B]  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Le Fin~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 


End file.
